Manchester City are set to make an opening offer for Chelsea to sign Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández. The proposed deal could shape up to be one of the most expensive transfers in Premier League history, with Chelsea previously establishing an unofficial minimum valuation of £120m for the 25-year-old.
Transfer Discussions and Valuation
Discussions are underway to determine whether both clubs can reach an agreement on a final price to unlock the transfer. If an agreement is struck, the deal is expected to move rapidly because personal terms are not anticipated to be an obstacle. Fernández initially arrived at Stamford Bridge from Benfica in 2023 for a reported fee of £107m, and any sale in this window would approach or exceed major benchmark figures across the league, sitting behind only Liverpool’s £125m acquisition of Alexander Isak last summer.
The pursuit follows a turbulent period for Fernández in West London. Following Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in March, Fernández grew increasingly critical of the club. During that stretch, Fernández and his agent, former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore, courted interest from Real Madrid, though the Spanish club subsequently issued a statement denying any attempt to sign him. On Monday, Fernández appeared as a second-half substitute in Chelsea’s 3-2 victory over Fulham, where he faced jeers from home supporters over his role in England’s World Cup exit, before heading down the tunnel first after brief celebrations with away fans and teammates.
Managerial Dynamics and Squad Overhaul
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has identified Fernández as a priority target to reinforce his midfield following a series of high-profile departures. Fernández shares a positive relationship with Maresca, who departed Chelsea in controversial fashion on New Year’s Day before taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in June. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso addressed Fernández’s availability ahead of the club’s Carabao Cup fixture against Luton Town, stating: “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.” Alonso added: “We want to have the best team possible. We know his qualities, he has shown it and we have to wait, but we will think about tomorrow and let’s see how things develop.”
Manchester City’s midfield recruitment drive comes on the heels of significant roster turnover. City previously broke their club transfer record earlier in the window by paying £116m to recruit Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. Concurrently, City oversaw four major midfield departures: Tijjani Reijnders transferred to Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah for £52m, Rodri joined Barcelona for £65m, Nico Gonzalez agreed to a £52m move to Newcastle, and Bernardo Silva joined Real Madrid earlier in the summer.
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