June 5th 2024.
Enzo Fernandez, a talented football player, had his sights set on representing Argentina at the Olympics. However, his club Chelsea had a change of heart and has now blocked two more players from participating in the Olympic Games in Paris. This decision was made because Olympic football is not officially recognized by FIFA, which means that clubs are not obligated to release their players for the competition.
Earlier in the summer, Chelsea had already denied permission for two other players, Malo Gusto and Benoit Badiashile, to play for their home country France at the Olympics. Now, according to the Daily Mail, they have also informed Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk that they will not be allowed to feature in the tournament. This came as a surprise as it was initially expected that Chelsea would allow Fernandez to play, but they have now decided to veto his participation.
The decision to block these players is driven by Chelsea's desire to avoid injuries in the upcoming season, particularly after a season plagued by injury problems in 2023-24. The club's new manager, Enzo Maresca, who left Championship winners Leicester City to take over at Chelsea, is keen to have a full squad available for pre-season. As a result, Chelsea wants Fernandez and Mudryk to return to Stamford Bridge instead of playing at the Olympics.
Both Fernandez and Mudryk were big-money signings for Chelsea, with the former joining from Benfica for over £100 million and the latter from Shakhtar Donetsk for up to £89 million. However, they have not lived up to expectations, with Fernandez struggling in the Premier League and even being rumored to improve when he was not available last season. Similarly, Mudryk has only managed to score seven goals in 41 appearances for Chelsea.
The decision to block these players has also received criticism from Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who will manage the France under-23 team at the Paris Olympics. He expressed that it is not easy to ask clubs for permission to take their players when it is not a FIFA date. He also understands the difficulty of having players participate in both the Olympics and the Euros this summer.
The Paris Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11, with the final football match being held at the Parc des Princes. Chelsea fans can keep up with all the latest news, exclusives, and analysis of their team by signing up for updates and by following the club's privacy policy. This site is also protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, so fans can rest assured that their information is secure.
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