Manchester City have agreed a joint-British record £125 million deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez as manager Enzo Maresca moves to strengthen his midfield options ahead of the new season.
The 25-year-old Argentina international is expected to undergo a medical before completing a long-term move to the Etihad Stadium, with personal terms not expected to pose a problem.
Fernandez’s transfer fee matches the £125 million Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak last summer and marks another major investment by City in their squad.
The move also reunites Fernandez with Maresca, who previously coached the midfielder during his time in charge of Chelsea.
Maresca has reportedly been keen to work with Fernandez again following significant changes to City’s midfield this summer, with several established players leaving the club.
City have already seen Tijjani Reijnders move to Saudi Arabia, Rodri join Barcelona, Nico Gonzalez transfer to Newcastle and Bernardo Silva depart as a free agent before his move to Real Madrid.
The club also recently broke its transfer record for the second time this summer by paying £116 million for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.
Fernandez’s arrival would therefore represent another significant step in City’s reshaping of the midfield.
The Argentine has been pushing for a move away from Chelsea since March, despite the London club’s earlier desire to retain him.
He had reportedly been hoping to join Real Madrid, but the Spanish giants ruled out making an offer, paving the way for City’s approach.
Fernandez was left out of Chelsea’s recent matches against Brighton and Luton, amid reports from Argentina that he had asked not to be included in the squads.
Chelsea set for record sales
While Fernandez’s departure represents a major loss on the pitch, Chelsea are set to benefit financially from the deal.
The £125 million transfer would become the second-largest sale in the club’s history, behind Eden Hazard’s 2019 move to Real Madrid.
It also takes Chelsea’s expected income from player sales this summer beyond £400 million.
Nicolas Jackson’s £65 million transfer to Aston Villa and Liam Delap’s £50 million move to Nottingham Forest have contributed significantly to the club’s record-breaking sales window.
Chelsea’s previous Premier League record for income from player sales was approximately £300 million, set last season.
The club are looking to reduce the size of their squad after finishing 10th in the Premier League last season and missing out on European football.
For City, however, the Fernandez deal underlines the scale of their midfield rebuild, with Maresca seeking to replace several departures and maintain the club’s competitiveness at the top level.
