Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has outlined the five clubs he views as genuine challengers for this season's Premier League crown, placing his own side firmly in the mix.
The Contenders According to Chelsea's Record Signing
In an interview with GiveMeSport, the £115 million Argentina international was unequivocal about Chelsea's ambitions. 'Of course we are [title contenders],' Fernandez stated. He went on to list the other teams he believes are in the race: Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal.
'This season, there are many contenders,' Fernandez explained. 'All the teams are battling towards the top. There are some very strong Premier League sides. Arsenal have also been doing really well for many years. And Liverpool are a great side. I’m not going to choose one because they’re all good.'
The Current State of the Title Race
Fernandez's comments come as the Premier League table begins to take shape. Arsenal currently hold a five-point lead at the summit, having lost just one of their opening 13 matches. Their progress was slightly checked by a 1-1 draw with ten-man Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, where Mikel Merino's goal cancelled out Trevoh Chalobah's opener.
That result saw Chelsea, who were second before the London derby, slip to third after Manchester City's dramatic 3-2 injury-time victory over Leeds United. Aston Villa are level on points with the Blues, while the likes of Brighton and newly-promoted Sunderland occupy European places ahead of the struggling defending champions, Liverpool.
The Reds have endured a difficult start to their title defence, losing almost half of their league games to find themselves nine points behind Arsenal. Manchester United, despite a recent comeback win against Crystal Palace, have also dropped points in more than half of their fixtures this term.
Building Foundations at Stamford Bridge
Fernandez also reflected on Chelsea's own journey under the ownership of Todd Boehly, suggesting the club has now turned a corner after a period of significant upheaval. 'When I arrived, there were so many players coming and going,' he recalled. 'It was a hard period with so many players in the dressing room. We almost didn’t all fit! I think there were 30 of us or even over 30 players. It was crazy.'
He credited the appointment of manager Enzo Maresca with bringing stability. 'That’s when the club started to build more solid foundations as a group. We developed our footballing identity, which has been great for the squad. Now you can see how settled we are and what a talented squad we have.'
Looking beyond domestic duties, the midfielder expressed hope for a deep run in the Champions League. 'We know the Champions League is very tough. We’ll try to reach the final, which is what we deserve as a club. We’ve been doing well, so we’re capable of being right up there.'
The Blues' recent trophy success, including wins in the Conference League and Club World Cup, has fostered a positive atmosphere. Fernandez concluded: 'For the last 18 months to two years, we’ve had such positive feelings here.'
