Fernandez fully committed to Chelsea - Rosenior

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has dismissed any suggestion that Enzo Fernandez is eyeing an exit, insisting the Argentina midfielder is “fully committed” to the club’s project.

Fernandez, 25, fuelled speculation when he told ESPN after Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League defeat to Paris St-Germain: “I don’t know” when asked if he would still be at Stamford Bridge next season. The loss completed an 8-2 aggregate last-16 exit and came on the back of a 1-0 Premier League defeat to Newcastle United that left Chelsea sixth, one point adrift of the top-five places with eight matches remaining.

Speaking on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s trip to Everton, Rosenior revealed he had held an extended conversation with the £107 million British-record signing earlier in the day. “He is one of the captains at the club and what I will say is that he made it really clear how happy he is here, how much he wants to win and how passionate he is for us to be successful,” Rosenior said. “He also said that in translation and in emotion, things get misconstrued. For me, he is fully committed to this group and to winning here at this football club.”

Rosenior, who will be without defender Trevoh Chalobah for around six weeks, also brushed off criticism on social media of him passing a note to players while trailing 8-2 on aggregate against PSG. “The reality is that I have to help this club win matches,” he added. “If I don’t, if I breathe wrong or sneeze wrong, people will talk about it. It doesn’t affect me.”

With Champions League qualification now hinging on domestic results, Rosenior stressed the importance of finishing in the top five. “You want to be in the Champions League. It makes everything clearer, not just from a financial point of view. This club deserves to be in the Champions League. That’s the target.”