Enzo Fernandez has undergone surgery and will miss the rest of Chelsea's season
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, center, reacts after Arsenal's Leandro Trossard scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium in London, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Credit: AP/Kin Cheung
LONDON — Enzo Fernandez has undergone surgery and will miss the remainder of Chelsea's season.
The Premier League club posted an injury update on social media Friday saying the 23-year-old midfielder “has undergone successful surgery on a groin issue and will now begin a period of rehabilitation.”
The Argentina international is expected to be available for the Copa America staged in the United States in June and July.
Fernandez played 67 minutes of Chelsea's 5-0 loss against Arsenal on Tuesday.
Fernandez became Britain's most expensive player when joining Chelsea from Benfica for 106.7 million pounds ($131.4 million) last year.
But the 2022 World Cup winner has not yet been able to bring success to the London club, which has endured another disappointing season under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Despite spending more than $1 billion on transfers since buying Chelsea in 2022, the club, which won a full set of major trophies under former own Roman Abramovich, has gone into rapid decline.
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, centre, challenges for the ball with Sheffield United's James McAtee, left, and Sheffield United's Ben Osborn during the English Premier League soccer match between Sheffield United and Chelsea at Bramall Lane stadium in Sheffield, England, Sunday, April 7, 2024. Credit: AP/Rui Vieira
The loss to Arsenal was Chelsea's 11th of the season and delivered another blow to manager Mauricio Pochettino's hopes of qualifying for Europe.
Fernandez was one of Argentina's star performers at the last World Cup and was named the tournament's best young player.
Argentina is aiming to win back-to-back Copa America titles having triumphed in the last edition of the tournament in 2021.
