Overview
- Fernández came on as a substitute in Chelsea’s final pre-season friendly at Stamford Bridge and received a mixed reception with some fans booing and others chanting his name.
- Chelsea set a reported £120 million asking price and imposed a deadline for offers that expired without a bid from Manchester City, so Fernández remains at the club for now.
- Supporter anger has been linked to Fernández’s public desire to leave plus his World Cup actions, including celebrating Argentina’s semi-final goal against England and being sent off in the final.
- The match ended 3-1 to Chelsea under new manager Xabi Alonso, with Morgan Rogers and João Pedro among the scorers as the team completed final preparations before the Premier League opener.
- Chelsea have left the door open to future offers, a situation that could affect squad selection and dressing-room dynamics as Alonso finalises his plans for the season.