Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez has been banned from driving following two driving offences in Wales. The footballer, who is the most expensive player in Premier League history, did not appear at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court for the hearing. Despite his absence, a magistrate imposed a maximum fine and driving ban on Fernandez.
The charges against Fernandez were related to incidents in Llanelli and Swansea, where a Porsche Cayenne linked to him was involved in motoring offences. The vehicle reportedly ran a red light in Llanelli on November 28 and was caught speeding in Swansea on December 20. Fernandez failed to identify the driver on both occasions, leading to charges of failing to provide driver information.
Although it was not proven that Fernandez was driving the Porsche during the offences, he was found guilty in his absence during a hearing at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court. The sentencing hearing took place on Wednesday, but Fernandez did not attend due to a prior football match commitment with Argentina.
The court heard that Fernandez already had nine penalty points on his licence from previous offences. As a result, he received an additional six points for each new offence, bringing the total to 21 points. Fernandez was fined £1,000 for each offence, along with additional costs to the police, making a total of £3,020. Due to the accumulation of penalty points, he was banned from driving for six months with immediate effect.
Fernandez, who plays for Chelsea and represents Argentina internationally, became the most expensive British club signing in 2023. With a fee of around £106.8m, he ranks among the top signings in football. Fernandez, who holds addresses in Kingston upon Thames, is one of the few players outside the Premier League to command such a high transfer fee.
The ban on Fernandez’s driving privileges is a consequence of the penalty points he accrued, which led to the court’s decision. Despite his absence in court, the footballer is now prohibited from driving for the next six months, impacting his ability to navigate on and off the pitch.