Graham Potter warned Chelsea's hierarchy that their deal to sign Enzo Fernandez was overpriced, according to reports.
Chelsea broke the British transfer record in the January transfer window when they agreed a €121 million (£106.8m) fee with Benfica for the midfielder.
Fernandez had just played a key role in Argentina's World Cup success in Qatar and had attracted strong interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona before his move to Stamford Bridge.
However, The Guardian reports that Potter told Chelsea's board that they were paying too much for the 22-year-old.
The report also claims that Potter warned Chelsea's hierarchy against making too many signings but the club did not want to lose out in the race to sign Fernandez, who was being advised to wait until the summer before leaving Benfica.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's former caretaker manager Frank Lampard is adamant that Fernandez will be a vital part of the team under Mauricio Pochettino.
'I've got a lot of faith that Enzo will be a big part of what happens in the future of this club,' Lampard said last week.
'I feel for him a little bit. He's had a massive move to the Premier League. He's won the World Cup. He should be sitting back at the end of this season quite rightly putting his feet up and saying: 'What a year'.
'But in terms of how he can affect the future, I see him being essential.'
'Enzo gets it,' Lampard said.
'He gets what's required in training. He gets what's required to be a Chelsea player. He's got a high talent. Some players just get it.
'I keep talking about giving players time. But when you work with someone, you understand it very quickly, and I think he gets it.'
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