It’s no secret that the 25-year-old is pushing for a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, having previously flirted with the idea of joining Real Madrid.
Enzo Maresca’s Man City seem like the most likely destination, however, with Chelsea currently standing by their £120 million valuation, per multiple reports.
Despite the ongoing links with a Premier League rival, Fernandez came off the bench to make his first appearance of the season in the 3-2 win over Fulham on Monday (August 24).
He received a chorus of boos from the home fans at Craven Cottage and then appeared to head straight down the tunnel while his Chelsea teammates greeted their supporters after the game.
New Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso insisted that Fernandez was available for the League Cup clash against Luton.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the game, he said: "Yes, we expect that he's involved.
"He's trained. He's training really well. He's a good professional, and he will be involved."
Now that the line-up has been announced, Fernandez is not among the starting eleven or the substitutes.