It was telling that the official confirmation of Enzo Fernandez's season-ending surgery was greeted with such a muted reaction by the Chelsea fanbase. You would think that the loss of their £106 million ($133m) midfield maestro - in the thick of a European chase - would be considered catastrophic. However, the vast majority responded with well wishes amid an unspoken acceptance that this was the correct course of action.
The Argentine has gone under the knife having played for months with a hernia in his groin, with the injury noticeably affecting his performances since the turn of the year while this summer's Copa America is fast approaching.
In his quest for a contingency plan in Fernandez's absence, head coach Mauricio Pochettino has almost inadvertently turned Chelsea's form around; the Blues have won three of their last five league games without Fernandez and in emphatic fashion, resulting in claims that the 23-year-old is surplus to requirements. But are they really better off without their £106m man?