Chelsea set deadline for Manchester City offers for Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea has established a deadline of Friday at 17:00 BST for any offers for midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The club values the Argentine international at £120m, with Manchester City reportedly interested in acquiring his services. This potential transfer could see Fernandez reunite with City’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, who previously managed him at Chelsea.
Maresca, when questioned on Friday about imminent transfer activity, stated, “I don’t think we’re going to do something today.” However, this does not rule out behind-the-scenes negotiations. City has already made a significant midfield acquisition this summer, signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m.
Potential Rodri Exit and Fernandez’s Role
A move for Fernandez appears to be contingent on City selling their Spanish midfielder, Rodri, to Barcelona. Rodri, a crucial component of City’s recent successes, including their 2022-23 Treble, has expressed a desire to return to Spain. City is reportedly seeking 80m euros (£68.4m) for Rodri, whose contract is set to expire next summer. Barcelona’s initial bid for Rodri was reported to be £38.5m, with another report stating a £40m bid was rejected.
Reports suggest that the deals for Rodri and Fernandez are interdependent, though they do not necessarily need to be completed simultaneously. If City secures Rodri’s departure, it would enable them to pursue Fernandez. It is also possible that Fernandez could sign before Rodri is ready to play again following a minor back procedure.
Maresca is understood to be a keen admirer of Fernandez. During his tenure at Chelsea, he played the Argentine in a significant number of matches. While Fernandez is naturally a defensive midfielder, Maresca often deployed him in a more advanced role, particularly when Cole Palmer was injured, leading to Fernandez scoring a career-best 15 goals. This versatility suggests Fernandez could fit into several positions within Maresca’s City squad. Anderson, like Fernandez, has also played in various midfield roles, offering Maresca tactical flexibility. City is also linked with another defensive midfielder, Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille.
Transfer Dynamics and Club Relations
Fernandez’s relationship with Chelsea reportedly deteriorated after Maresca’s departure in January. In March, he criticised the club following a substantial defeat by Paris St-Germain in the Champions League and subsequently expressed a desire to move to Madrid. These comments led to Chelsea omitting him from two games. Real Madrid later released a statement denying any intention to sign Fernandez, leaving City as the primary contender.
Chelsea’s imposed deadline is an arbitrary one set for City, or any other interested club, to submit an offer for Fernandez. The official transfer deadline is on Tuesday, 1 September, at 23:00 BST. According to one Chelsea reporter, insiders suggest that if City does not make a move by Friday, the opportunity will pass, and Fernandez will remain at Chelsea until next summer. This scenario is viewed as a win-win for Chelsea, as they either retain the player or secure £120m. However, it remains to be seen if Chelsea would decline a substantial offer if it arrived a few days after their deadline, as clubs sometimes adhere strictly to such deadlines, as seen with Manchester United and Jadon Sancho in 2020.
If Fernandez were to join City for £120m, it would rank among the largest transfers in football history. This summer has already seen City’s spending surpass £250m, including the acquisitions of youngsters Pierce Charles, Jeremy Monga, Mathys Detourbet, and goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. Their total spending for 2026 could approach £350m, following January signings of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi for £82.5m. Despite these expenditures, City has also seen players on significant contracts depart on free transfers, including Bernardo Silva and John Stones, alongside the sale of James Trafford to Leeds for up to £45m. Midfielder Tijjani Reijnders is also set to join Al-Qadsiah in a £52m deal.
This summer marks a period of significant change for City, with legendary manager Pep Guardiola departing after a decade. Maresca, his former assistant, has taken over. On the pitch, if Rodri leaves, only three players who started the 2023 Champions League final—Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland, and Jack Grealish—would remain at the club, with Grealish’s future uncertain. Defenders Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji have been sold, while Silva and Stones left upon the expiration of their contracts.
Should Chelsea sell Fernandez, they would have over two weeks to find a replacement. The club recently had a £64m offer for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott rejected. Chelsea has also been very active in the transfer market this summer, with their spending exceeding £300m, including £52m for Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix and £47m for Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra. Selling Fernandez would push their total sales beyond £250m.
Relations between City and Chelsea are reportedly strained following the circumstances surrounding Maresca’s departure from Chelsea and subsequent move to City. Maresca’s mid-season exit was described as disruptive and unsettled players, including Fernandez, leading to a legal dispute. City paid Chelsea £17m in compensation to appoint Maresca this summer, who resigned from Chelsea with three and a half years remaining on his contract at the end of 2025.
Chelsea chose to impose this deadline to avoid distractions, aiming for new manager Xabi Alonso and his squad to focus on the upcoming season. The summer transfer window officially closes on Tuesday, 1 September.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
