Chelsea sources insist Enzo Fernandez is going nowhere, even if Real Madrid escalate their interest in the 24-year-old Argentinian this summer.

Real are in the market for a midfielder and have tracked Fernandez, a hybrid between defensive and attacking, ever since he was originally with River Plate.

He ended up going from there to Benfica to Chelsea for £106.8million after winning the World Cup in 2022, and Stamford Bridge insiders have no intention of breaking up his burgeoning £220m midfield partnership with Moises Caicedo, another star considered untouchable this summer.

Chelsea chose to forgive and forget that controversy and now see him as a valuable starter who gives his all in games.

Indeed, you may notice a particular theme when scanning down the top 10 distances covered by Chelsea players in Premier League matches this season:

11.8km – Enzo Fernandez vs Fulham, December 26

11.8km – Enzo Fernandez vs Brentford, December 15

11.6km – Enzo Fernandez vs Ipswich, December 30

11.6km – Enzo Fernandez vs Manchester City, January 25

11.5km – Enzo Fernandez vs Leicester, November 23

11.5km – Enzo Fernandez vs Everton, April 26

11.5km – Enzo Fernandez vs Manchester City, August 18

11.5km – Marc Cucurella vs Wolves, January 20

11.4km – Enzo Fernandez vs Leicester, March 9

11.4km – Enzo Fernandez vs Aston Villa, February 22

We could continue going down the list, but you would only see Fernandez’s name again and again, as his central role for Chelsea sees him go from box to box.

After setting up Nicolas Jackson’s strike against Everton on Saturday, Fernandez has also now provided more assists this season than each of Martin Odegaard, Dominik Szoboszlai, Matheus Cunha, Luis Diaz, Leandro Trossard, Bruno Guimaraes, Jeremy Doku, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden.

Manager Enzo Maresca has spent much of this season privately pushing Fernandez to break into the opposition’s box during attacks. Maresca’s system and selection in their 1-0 victory at the weekend certainly helped him into advanced positions, as Caicedo inverting from right back into midfield next to Romeo Lavia gave Fernandez licence to go further forward.

The same set-up could be deployed for the visit of Liverpool this Sunday, though it will not be possible in their Conference League semi-final first leg with Djurgarden as Lavia has not been included in the squad registered with UEFA for load management reasons.

Chelsea make sure to train on ‘s****y’ pitch in Stockholm

It can be revealed that several Djurgarden players have been suffering with flu this week in the build-up to what the Swedish side are describing as the biggest match in their history. However, it is their own artificial pitch which has been leaving them feeling much more sick collectively.

Their own striker August Priske has described the 3G turf as ’s****y’, for example. Others have suggested the ball seems to have a mind of its own at the 3Arena, which is a multi-purpose stadium with Harry Styles and Elton John among those who have played concerts there. Djurgarden also share the stadium with fellow Stockholm side Hammarby.

Rarely have Chelsea taken up the option of training abroad before their Conference League matches this season – they have tended to train at Cobham and then fly – but they made sure to do so this time as they arranged a 7.15pm Wednesday session on the 3Arena pitch.

Confidential will be in attendance at that, as well as Enzo Maresca’s press conference at 6.30pm.

No Twickenham talks between Chelsea and RFU

RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney created headlines this week when he suggested rugby would be thrilled to lend Twickenham to Chelsea, should they need a temporary home while rebuilding or renovating Stamford Bridge.

Sweeney did mention Richmond Council might have an issue with it, mind, and so we got in contact with the local authority to ask their stance on it all.

The answer we received was there is nothing up for consideration at this time.

Richmond Council told Confidential: ‘There are no proposals before the council regarding the use of Twickenham Stadium by Chelsea FC and we understand from the RFU that no discussions are taking place on this matter.

‘We value our relationship with the Rugby Football Union and welcome constructive engagement about the stadium’s operations.

‘Any significant change in use would need to be subject to formal planning processes, with full consideration of local impacts and the views of our residents.’

The Chelsea goalkeeper who IS impressing this season… and set for a new deal

While the debate surrounding Chelsea’s goalkeepers will not disappear any time soon, they have a 22-year-old Englishman who has enjoyed a stellar 2024-25 season out on loan.

That is Teddy Sharman-Lowe, who saved a penalty at the weekend as Doncaster secured automatic promotion to League One.

Confidential can reveal enquiries are already coming in from across the EFL as to his availability for next season, including from the Championship.

The England Under-21 international signed a one-year contract with Chelsea last summer with the option of an additional year.

The Blues are expected to negotiate a new deal for Sharman-Lowe before sending him away to gain further experience on loan for the 2025-26 season.

Tosin not up for swapsies, even if ‘old’ by Chelsea standards

Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo is an avid collector of football cards.

The story goes that during the Covid lockdown of 2020, he decided to kill time by going through his memorabilia when he found a 2008 Ashley Cole Match Attax card he had in storage. It reignited his love for collecting, so much so that he founded Huddle FC, so he and other enthusiasts had somewhere to convene online.

Adarabioyo is young at heart, therefore, but by Stamford Bridge standards he is getting on.

Chelsea have not used a single player over the age of 27 in any of their 34 matches in the Premier League this season. That blows the previous record run of six games set by this weekend’s opponents Liverpool in 1999-2000 into oblivion. There’s young and then there’s this.

Adarabioyo turns 28 in September so he is as close as it gets and he was something of an outlier when he became Enzo Maresca’s first signing following his appointment. He was a free transfer from Fulham. He was only tied down to a four-year deal. He was older than their typical targets.

Newcastle and Atletico Madrid were also in for him at the time and though he is on the outskirts of Maresca’s starting line-up, Chelsea sources cannot stress his influence enough internally.

During Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League win over Everton, amid a break in play, Adarabioyo was the only one on the bench standing up to speak with players on the pitch as he issued tactical advice to Noni Madueke in particular.

While Chelsea’s defence will undergo some surgery this summer, Adarabioyo is not among those the Blues are actively looking to offload. That is not to say it is guaranteed he will stay – it is always possible for a rival club to come in with a proposal – but they are not touting his attributes around.

Maresca raised eyebrows last week when he hinted at his desire for extra experience in his squad, given he knew the youth-led approach that he was signing up for. In Adarabioyo, he has a captain without the armband, at least.

Reasons for Rosenior’s contract reward with sister club

Liam Rosenior signed a new contract with Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg until 2028 this week.

That was reward for his work with the youngest squad in Europe’s elite leagues, but also to reduce the risk of losing him to any rival clubs tempted to try to bring him back to England.

Championship-bound Southampton were among those interested in Rosenior, but BlueCo made sure he will stay with Strasbourg for now by tying him down to his lengthier deal.

Factored in was how much progress has been made from the previous manager Patrick Vieira – particularly in style of play – and how the value of Strasbourg’s squad has increased significantly thanks to Rosenior’s improvements.

Scharer’s scribbling

Swiss referee Sandro Scharer will oversee Chelsea’s Europa Conference League clash with Djurgarden in Stockholm, having also reffed Manchester United’s remarkable 5-4 win over Lyon in the Europa League two weeks ago, as well as Liverpool and Tottenham earlier this season.

Look out for Scharer if he happens to caution a player tomorrow night.

Previously, he’s not only jotted the name and number down in his notebook, but has scribbled the information on the palm of his hand to help him remember which players he has already booked.

Here’s hoping his hands aren’t too clammy. 

Gettin’ Gittens?

Our German media counterparts have gone strong on how close Chelsea are to signing Borussia Dortmund’s 20-year-old winger Jamie Gittens.

I’m hearing those reports are slightly premature, but the Blues are definitely interested in the youngster born and raised in Reading.

Gittens is a right-footed left winger, which brings up questions as to plans for Jadon Sancho. Chelsea insiders maintain no decision has been made on his future.

They can get out of signing him permanently by paying a penalty to send him back to Manchester United this summer.

Anselmino’s solo training sessions after injury issues

While Chelsea’s first-team stars were training on one side of the pitch last week, Aaron Anselmino was doing individual work with a coach on the other.

Chelsea signed the Argentinian, who turned 20 on Tuesday, from Boca Juniors for £15.6million last summer and he arrived in January, but he has not appeared for a single minute since.

Injury has played its part as he arrived with a hamstring issue, while his physicality needed building up in order to handle the rigours of the Premier League.

The likelihood is Anselmino will be sent on loan somewhere this summer to gain further experience of European football, though no final call has yet been made.

Uefa issue €20,000 fine

Chelsea fans who travelled for the Conference League quarter-final first leg at Legia Warsaw will remember the home side’s tifo before kick-off – the gruesome one showing a lion with a sword sticking through its face alongside the message: ‘FEAR NO ONE.’

Well, the Polish side have now been slapped with a €20,000 fine for breaching Article 16(2)(e) which relates to transmitting ‘a provocative message that is not fit for a sports event’.

When asked, UEFA would not confirm whether it was specifically for the graphic display, or for separate illicit chanting from their spirited ultras, or both.

Phew! Fab Four make it back from the Madrid blackout

Chelsea faced a potential problem this week when Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez, Marc Cucurella and Pedro Neto all used their two free days to attend the Madrid Open tennis tournament, given the trip coincided with the power outages which caused travel chaos.

The Blues have their Conference League semi-final first leg with Djurgarden tomorrow night, followed by one of their biggest games of the Premier League season against new champions Liverpool at home on Sunday, a match in which they will give the Reds a guard of honour.

Thankfully, the quartet managed to make it back safe and sound and in time for training on Tuesday.