Chelsea's £117M New Signing Scores on Debut; Enzo Fernández Booed by Fans
On.cc · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Chelsea secured a 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad in their pre-season friendly at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, showcasing both promise and tension. Morgan Rogers, the England international acquired from Aston Villa for a British-record £117 million (approximately HK$12.4 billion), marked his debut with a goal after just nine minutes . Meanwhile, Argentine World Cup winner Enzo Fernández, whose proposed transfer to Manchester City collapsed before Chelsea's deadline, was subjected to hostile fan reception upon his substitution appearance .
Key Points
- Morgan Rogers, 24, opened his Chelsea account nine minutes into his first appearance, capitalising on a parried shot from the Sociedad goalkeeper
- João Paulo, the Brazilian international, struck twice after halftime, taking his pre-season tally to seven goals in six matches
- Real Sociedad briefly equalised through Karrikabru's spectacular long-range effort before halftime
- Manchester City failed to meet Chelsea's valuation of £120 million for Fernández before the Blues' self-imposed deadline, sealing his continued stay
- Chelsea launch their Premier League campaign away to Fulham next Tuesday, with the squad appearing to gel under new management
Why It Matters
The contrasting fortunes of Rogers and Fernández underscore the divergent paths within Chelsea's bloated squad as the new season approaches. Rogers' immediate impact justifies his British-record fee and provides attacking confidence, whereas Fernández faces an uncomfortable tenure amid fan backlash that could destabilise the dressing room. With Chelsea's league opener imminent, manager Enzo Maresca must rapidly resolve internal tensions to prevent a repeat of last season's inconsistent campaign.
The contrasting fortunes of Rogers and Fernández underscore the divergent paths within Chelsea's bloated squad as the new season approaches. Rogers' immediate impact justifies his British-record fee and provides attacking confidence, whereas Fernández faces an uncomfortable tenure amid fan backlash that could destabilise the dressing room. With Chelsea's league opener imminent, manager Enzo Maresca must rapidly resolve internal tensions to prevent a repeat of last season's inconsistent campaign.