September 2 – Manchester City have finally landed Enzo Fernández from Chelsea in a £125 million deal, matching the British transfer record and bringing one of the summer’s longest-running sagas to an expensive conclusion.
The Argentina international had been Enzo Maresca’s priority throughout the window and City’s willingness to match the fee Liverpool paid Newcastle United for Alexander Isak last summer says plenty about how badly they wanted him.
Fernández also becomes the first player in football history to command a fee of more than £100 million twice.
Chelsea paid Benfica £107 million for him in January 2023, then a British record, but have somehow managed to turn a profit on that investment three-and-a-half years later. Only Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand had previously broken the British transfer record twice during the Premier League era.
There was little secret that the controversial Argentine wanted out of Stamford Bridge, leaving Chelsea with a decision to make. The answer was ultimately to cash in, and at £125 million they have done so handsomely.
Fernández worked extensively under Maresca at Chelsea and was identified early as the player around whom the Italian wanted to reshape his midfield at the Etihad. Their existing relationship helped keep City at the table through 79 days of negotiations, despite the less-than-cordial circumstances surrounding Maresca’s own departure from Chelsea earlier this summer.
The deal completes a remarkable overhaul at City who have now spent about €375 million on Fernández, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi alone. Anderson arrived for £116 million earlier in the window, briefly becoming City’s record signing before Fernández displaced him.
At the same time, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Nico González and Tijjani Reijnders have departed for a combined €193 million, clearing out the core of the midfield that had defined the previous era.
Fernández’s celebrations for Argentina at the World Cup this summer caused particular anger in England, and portions of the Chelsea support booed him during a pre-season appearance after he made clear his desire to leave. He is likely to continue to receive a similar receptions wherever he plays in England, though it appears City are not bothered by his toxicity to English fans.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at harry.ewing@insideworldfootball.com