A clause buried in several Chelsea contracts could end up shaping the club's transfer business more than any scouting report this summer, with wages for some of the squad's biggest names dropping sharply as a direct consequence of missing out on Champions League qualification.
According to AS, Fernandez is the clearest example of the issue. The Argentine has already been linked with Real Madrid in recent days, contacts Chelsea have since denied, but the wage cut triggered by the club's continental absence only adds fuel to the speculation surrounding his future.
Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro are all understood to be affected by similar clauses, leaving question marks over their situations too as the transfer window progresses.
Reports elsewhere have suggested some of the reductions are severe, with certain wages effectively halved after Chelsea finished the season down in tenth place in the Premier League table, well outside the qualification places for next season's Champions League.
The timing is awkward for new manager Xabi Alonso, who arrives at Stamford Bridge to find a rebuilding job on his hands in more ways than one. Not only must he build his squad without European football to offer as an incentive to potential signings, a significant obstacle in itself when competing for the same targets as Champions League clubs, but he may also have to contend with unrest among players whose earnings have taken a hit through no fault of their own performances last season.
Much may still depend on how the situation develops once players return from the World Cup and their post-tournament holidays. Chelsea's business so far this summer has focused on departures, and the club will be hoping the affected players commit to the project under Alonso rather than push for exits driven, at least in part, by the financial reality of another season outside Europe's top competition.
How the club chooses to handle any renegotiation requests could prove just as important to the makeup of next season's squad as any incoming transfer business Chelsea complete before the window closes.