The 25-year-old Argentina international was dropped by head coach Liam Rosenior last week after comments during the international break left Stamford Bridge with little choice but to act. First came the admission to ESPN Argentina that he did not know if he would be at Chelsea next season.
Then, on a podcast, he said he would like to live in Madrid, describing the Spanish capital as similar to Buenos Aires. Rosenior confirmed the sanction publicly, saying a line had been crossed in terms of the club's culture.
Spanish outlet OK Diario report that the episode has not deterred Fernández — quite the opposite. Journalist Eduardo Inda, speaking on El Chiringuito de Jugones, claims the midfielder intends to take the situation to its conclusion and will force a transfer request if necessary.
Real Madrid's interest is genuine but complicated. Chelsea paid a British record £107 million for Fernández when he joined from Benfica in January 2023, and they are not prepared to accept anything below £100 million this summer. That figure is testing even for a club of Madrid's resources.
OK Diario suggest Los Blancos would look to fund a move partly through sales, with Eduardo Camavinga and academy forward Gonzalo García cited as potential departures to raise funds.
Fernández's agent Javier Pastore has called the Chelsea sanction completely unfair, insisting his client never mentioned Real Madrid by name or stated a desire to leave. The plan, he says, is to meet with Chelsea after the World Cup and assess the options from there.
Fernández retain the vice-captaincy and say the door is not closed. Fernández, it seems, may have already made up his mind.