Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was omitted from the squad for Thursday's victory against Luton Town at Stamford Bridge as Manchester City target his signature.
The 25-year-old Argentina international was nowhere to be seen at Stamford Bridge, failing to feature in the starting lineup, among the substitutes, or in the stands for the Carabao Cup second-round tie. Head coach Xabi Alonso had announced a day earlier that he intended to play Fernandez against the League One side, but the midfielder was completely left out of the matchday squad.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Alonso confirmed that the decision to leave Fernandez out was made jointly by himself and the club. "It was a decision from myself and from the club," Alonso said. "We had other players that needed minutes and it was that way. It's a decision that I took. He's a good professional. He's training well. I have nothing to say about him. It was just a decision that we had to take, thinking about the game that we're playing tonight and we'll see for (Brighton on) Sunday."
Manchester City transfer interest
Manchester City are eager to secure Fernandez, and the midfielder is keen on a move to the Etihad Stadium. City left it late in the summer window to pursue the player due to his £120million valuation, but a deal is looking increasingly likely before the transfer window closes on September 1. A potential transfer would reunite Fernandez with his former head coach, Enzo Maresca, who now manages Manchester City.
Fernandez's absence comes 74 days into the summer transfer window. Although Chelsea supporters applauded him and sang his name during the Premier League win at Fulham earlier in the week, the midfielder has remained silent on social media. Despite boasting millions of followers, he has chosen not to post any statement confirming his commitment to Stamford Bridge.
Should Fernandez depart, Chelsea will need to recruit a midfield replacement. Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott have been identified as potential transfer targets. Meanwhile, Fernandez's Argentina teammate Valentin Barco started against Luton, but was booed by visiting supporters due to his conduct at the World Cup.
Carabao Cup victory over Luton Town
On the pitch, Chelsea secured a 2-0 win over Luton despite the absence of Fernandez. Danny Welbeck scored the opening goal for the host club at Stamford Bridge.
Estevao Willian thought he had doubled Chelsea's lead with a second goal, but his shot was officially recorded as an own goal after being turned into the net by Luton player Hakeem Odoffin. Chelsea controlled much of the contest and could have won by a wider margin, with both Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers missing clear opportunities.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez transfer deal
While the players were warming up before kickoff against Luton, news emerged that Chelsea had agreed a £7.5million fee to sign goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa. The Argentina international, who turns 34 next week, is expected to join the London club ahead of the transfer deadline.
The arrival of Martinez marks a sudden change in transfer strategy for Chelsea. Throughout the summer, club officials had publicly maintained that they were fully satisfied with Robert Sanchez and Mike Penders as their primary goalkeepers, brushing off links to AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
The signing of Martinez could lead to the departure of 28-year-old Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Sanchez delivered a disappointing performance in Chelsea's 3-2 victory away at Fulham, conceding two goals that were considered avoidable. The agreement for Martinez continues a pattern of transfer business between Chelsea and Aston Villa, following recent deals involving Morgan Rogers, Alejandro Garnacho, and an impending deal for Nicolas Jackson.
Young Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders made his Chelsea debut against Luton and kept a clean sheet. The 21-year-old earned strong support from fans in the Matthew Harding Stand, demonstrating impressive handling when catching crosses and showing composure with the ball at his feet.
Defensive display from Pedro Neto
Substitute Pedro Neto also impressed Stamford Bridge supporters during the second half. After receiving a rollicking from team captain Reece James for failing to track back during the match against Fulham, the Portuguese winger focused heavily on his defensive work against Luton, earning applause from the home crowd for his efforts.
