Real Madrid News
Real Madrid want to accelerate pursuit of Chelsea ace after stellar World Cup performance
Enzo Fernandez was one of the stars for Argentina as they secured a brilliant win over Algeria in the opening match of their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, with Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick.
Fernandez’s performance comes on the back of reports linking him with a move to Real Madrid, with the Chelsea superstar emerging as Jose Mourinho’s top pick in midfield.
Real Madrid, who have recently announced the signing of Bernardo Silva on a free transfer, do not want to wait either.
Real Madrid plan to accelerate Enzo Fernandez pursuit
According to MARCA, Real Madrid have identified Enzo Fernandez as their number one target to strengthen the midfield, with the Argentine sitting at the very top of the list of names Mourinho has put forward.
Fernandez made his desire to one day move to the Spanish capital abundantly clear back in March, in comments that caused a stir at Stamford Bridge and temporarily saw him removed from the team dynamic.
“I would like to live in Spain. I really like Madrid, it reminds me of Buenos Aires. I would live in Madrid. A player lives wherever he wants. I get by with English, but with Spanish I would be better off,” he said at the time.
Enzo is the priority, and his early World Cup heroics have only strengthened Real Madrid’s resolve to get a deal done as quickly as possible, similar to the Cucurella deal.
A complicated but possible deal
The operation is unlikely to be as straightforward as the Cucurella deal, primarily due to the price.
His agent, former footballer Javier Pastore, is aware of both Real Madrid’s interest and his client’s desire to make the move.
Chelsea are not ruling out a sale, particularly as Xabi Alonso does not want to retain any player who is not fully committed to the project.
However, the London outfit will not make life easy and have always valued Fernandez at no less than €120 million, the fee they paid Benfica for him in January 2023.
The alternatives on Mourinho’s list
Should the Enzo deal fall through, Mourinho has alternatives ready. Mateus Fernandes of West Ham remains one of the Portuguese coach’s favoured options, a 21-year-old who fits the profile of a creative, dynamic midfielder capable of breaking down low defensive blocks.
The name of Ayyoub Bouaddi, one of the breakout stars of the World Cup, has also emerged strongly in recent hours.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
