Manchester City are reportedly prepared to launch a bid for Enzo Fernandez despite missing Chelsea’s internal 'deadline' on the midfielder, and are expected to sign two players in the position before the transfer window shuts.
Elliot Anderson: Manchester City's marquee midfield signing of the summer
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Midfield has been at the heart of a remarkable summer of upheaval at the Etihad Stadium, with Enzo Maresca facing a near-total reshaping of the engine room that underpinned the Pep Guardiola era.
The most seismic departure is that of Rodri, with the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion recently completing a £65.4 million switch to Barcelona - a monumental loss that leaves a gaping hole in the centre of the side which the club are now scrambling to address.
However, he is far from the only midfielder heading for the exit door. Tijjani Reijnders has sealed a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Qadsiah after just one season in England, while club great Bernardo Silva departed on a free transfer to join Real Madrid, bringing the curtain down on a glittering nine years of service in sky blue.
Between them, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva represent a staggering amount of quality and experience to lose in a single window.
To date, the sole midfield arrival has been a statement one after Manchester City smashed their club transfer record to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in a deal worth £116 million up-front, and the England international arriving to form the spine of Enzo Maresca’s new-look midfield.
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has explained why the club went all-out to secure the £116 million arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.cityxtra.co.ukEnzo Maresca Reveals Why Manchester City Broke Club Transfer Record for Elliot Anderson
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has explained why the club went all-out to secure the £116 million arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.
What's the latest on Man City’s midfield targets?
Now, according to a new explainer report from journalist Ben Jacobs, Manchester City remain prepared to bid for Enzo Fernandez, even after opting against an offer before Chelsea’s reported cut-off last Friday.
The Argentina international, valued at around £120 million by the west London club, has been a target for much of the summer and is a player Enzo Maresca admires greatly from their time together at Stamford Bridge.
Jacobs also confirms that Manchester City are in advanced talks with Lille over highly-rated Morocco international teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the 18-year-old available for a fee in the region of £85 million - a deal that would represent one of the summer’s most eye-catching pieces of business given the youngster’s soaring reputation.
Who else is on Maresca's midfield shortlist?
Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi are not the only names in the frame as Jacobs reports that Manchester City have lodged an enquiry for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, reviving interest rumoured in windows past, while AS Roma’s France international Manu Kone is also under consideration.
Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister is another player that the club appreciate, though the Argentine appears a non-starter given that the Reds have no intention of sanctioning such a significant sale this late in the window - and perhaps more pertinently to a direct rival.
Perhaps most interestingly, Ben Jacobs states that Manchester City made an approach for Bournemouth’s Alex Scott last month, only for the Cherries - who have already rebuffed a £64 million bid from Chelsea - to insist the midfielder is not for sale.
How many midfielders will Manchester City sign?
Crucially, Jacobs reports that Manchester City are expected to bring in two midfielders between now and the September 1 deadline - which seems essential to replace the multitude of talents who have departed this summer.
That leaves the club facing a frantic fortnight of business. Whether it ultimately yields a marquee swoop for Enzo Fernandez, the capture of Ayyoub Bouaddi or cheaper alternatives from the likes of Adam Wharton, Manu Kone and Alex Scott, Enzo Maresca appears determined to begin his first full campaign in charge with his midfield rebuilt rather than merely patched up.
With Rodri’s exit having blown the situation wide open, the coming days promise to go a long way to defining the shape of Manchester City’s new era.