Journalist Dean Jones has hinted that Chelsea could make another bid to sign Benfica star Enzo Fernandez.

The Lowdown: Chelsea make their move...

The Argentina international, who starred for the eventual 2022 World Cup winners in Qatar and clinched the tournament's best young player award, has been of serious interest to Chelsea this month.

Reports emerged earlier in the month of an offer from the Blues to sign the player which was swiftly rejected by his club - an amount apparently totalling £112m across three instalments in three years.

This proposal would have apparently helped Chelsea and owner Todd Boehly to evade Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions, but Benfica turned down their advances, instead asking for Fernandez' £106m release clause up front.

Graham Potter's side were thwarted in their attempts to sign the 22-year-old as they scour the market for a proven defensive midfielder.

The Latest: Chelsea could make another bid...

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones has now hinted that Chelsea could make another offer for Fernandez, saying that he wouldn't rule it out.

The journalist stated: "Obviously, the chances of making another bid for Enzo Fernandez have been played down quite heavily.

“However, I wouldn’t totally rule it out. I’ve spoken to a couple of people around Chelsea who say, while it is unlikely at the moment, they don’t have a new plan to go and fix that midfield problem they’ve got.

“So if the alternative fallback options to Enzo Fernandez don’t come off, they might go back in for him again.”

The Verdict: Go for it?

Of course, Chelsea and Boehly need to be careful in regards to FFP, but if they can reach a compromise with Benfica over the sale of Fernandez, we believe that he would be a stellar capture at Stamford Bridge.

According to WhoScored, the South American has averaged a higher rate of tackles per 90 in his division than any Chelsea regular with more than five starts in England. The starlet can also contribute going forward, notching three assists in the Portuguese top flight this season, which puts him far above most of Potter's squad in that regard.

The numbers indicate that Fernandez is extremely well-rounded, with international team-mate - and arguably the greatest-ever player Lionel Messi - calling him 'spectacular'.

The Real Madrid-linked midfielder oozes quality, as proven by his award-winning displays at the World Cup, and members of the media have also labelled him a 'beast'.

If Chelsea do submit another bid and reach an agreement before January 31, it would be quite the coup for Potter.