Enzo Fernández’s agent has denied reports that the player wants to leave Chelsea this summer. Chelsea are 11th in the Premier League and look likely to miss out on Champions League football for a second straight season.

Asked about media speculation that Fernández is frustrated with the team’s disappointing performances and wants to leave the club this summer, the midfielder’s agent Uriel Perez told ESPN: “This [the rumours] came out of the London press, I don’t understand why. Both Enzo and I are very clear on what this project is, which was transmitted to me on the day of the World Cup final.”

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Fernández, 23, joined Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023 in a €121 million ($152.8m) transfer deal shortly after winning the World Cup with Argentina.

Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino said following back-to-back Premier League defeats to Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers that his team “needs time” as they are “building from zero.”

Fernández, who scored in Chelsea’s 3-1 win at Aston Villa in Wednesday’s FA Cup game and celebrated by removing his shirt and pointing to his name and number, is aware that it will take time for his team to win silverware, according to his agent.

“They [Chelsea executives] were very clear that it was a project that was going to take time, especially from a sporting standpoint because they were going to change the squad,” Perez said.

“They were going to try to bring the best youth players and one of them was Enzo.

“They [Chelsea executives] were aware that it was going to take one, two or even three seasons for the team to start fighting for important things. But they said that once the team was assembled, it would start to compete for titles. I think the team has a lot of quality, very good players, and the only thing missing is that it fits together.”

Meanwhile, Thiago Silva’s wife has apologised for a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, from after the 4-2 defeat to Wolves on Sunday.

Belle Silva posted, “I’m sorry that my personal outburst as a passionate Chelsea fan has caused such an impact. I’m passionate about the team, I thrive on victories and I’m saddened by defeats.

“We all want the same thing, a winning team, come on Chelsea!”

On Sunday she wrote, “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late” after the Wolves game finished.

Chelsea’s next game is away at Crystal Palace on Monday.