Enzo Fernandez agent reveals Chelsea contract deadline as "completely unfair" Liam Rosenior decision slammed

The agent of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has slammed Blues boss Liam Rosenior for dropping the Argentine from the squad over his Real Madrid comments.

Over the past couple of weeks, the former Benfica midfielder has added fuel to the fire surrounding a potential switch to the Spanish capital, most recently claiming that he would be keen to live in Madrid.

Fernandez had previously cast doubt on his Chelsea future in the wake of the Blues' Champions League last-16 exit to Paris Saint-Germain, and Rosenior believes that the Argentine has "crossed a line" with his public yearning for Madrid.

Fernandez will serve a two-match internal ban as a result of his comments, meaning that the midfielder will miss Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final against Port Vale and the Premier League clash with Manchester City on April 12.

The 24-year-old's suspension has not gone down at all well with his representative - Javier Pastore - who labelled his punishment "completely unfair" in a recent interview with The Athletic.

Enzo Fernandez agent slams "completely unfair" Chelsea punishment

"The punishment is completely unfair," Pastore said. "Banning the player for two matches, which moreover are also absolutely crucial for Chelsea because qualification for the Champions League is at stake and he is one of the team’s most important players.

"I think it’s far too harsh given Chelsea’s current situation, and there’s no real reason or justification for why he has been banned. At no point does he say he wants to leave Chelsea or London. He’s not disrespecting anyone."

Fernandez is already under contract with the Blues until the end of the 2031-32 season, although Pastore has confirmed that discussions have been held over a potential extension.

However, the two parties could not find common ground, and Fernandez intends to "explore other options" if no new deal can be struck following the World Cup.

"There have been talks about renewing his contract, yes. We started discussing it around December or January, but we couldn’t reach an agreement." Pastore added.

"Our plan after the World Cup is to meet with Chelsea again and, if there is no agreement, to explore other options."

Is Enzo Fernandez's Chelsea punishment "completely unfair"?

Fernandez may not have directly said that he wants to sign for Real Madrid, but it is impossible to ignore the timing of his comments while the Blancos rumours are doing the rounds.

The Argentina international's words had the potential to cause division in the dressing room and lead to doubt about where his heart - and his future lies - which in turn could impact his and the team's performances on the pitch.

At a time when Chelsea have lost four games on the spin, Rosenior needs players who are fully committed to the Stamford Bridge cause, not those who have openly expressed a yearning to move to another city.

Pastore was always going to defend Fernandez, but it is also easy to defend Rosenior's decision, and there is now a real risk of this manager-player relationship becoming even more strained before the campaign closes.