Manchester City need to sign players in the final two weeks of the transfer window and they have the means to do so
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 24: Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea looks on ahead of the Premier League 2026/27 match between Fulham and Chelsea FC at Craven Cottage on August 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 24: Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea looks on ahead of the Premier League 2026/27 match between Fulham and Chelsea FC at Craven Cottage on August 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
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Manchester City are about to finalise an £85m deal for Ayyoub Bouaddi to continue their midfield overhaul. The club have already broken their transfer record with the £116m signing of Elliot Anderson, and are ready to bring in at least one more midfield signing in the final days of the transfer window.
Enzo Fernandez is the top target but Chelsea set a price of £120m earlier this month and that price could even go up in the final days before the deadline. City are looking at other midfielders as well as they look to back Enzo Maresca in his first season in charge, meaning that City's spend on midfielders alone in this transfer window could be closer to £400m than £300m.
These are astronomical sums on one hand, but then so is the money that City are taking in this window. The departures of Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders gave City more than £110m and Nico Gonzalez would add another £50m to the pot.
Even without Gonzalez, City sales this summer currently stand at £259.6m and that could rise to £278.2m if all bonuses are met. James Trafford and Savinho are other exits that have produced big sums for the Blues.
When Bouaddi and Palmeiras winger Allan join this week, City will have spent an initial £265.6m that could rise to £281.6m with additional payments. Jeremy Monga, Mathys Detourbet and Pierce Charles are among the players to have topped up the major spends.
Whichever set of figures are taken, there is less than a £10m net spend in more than £500m worth of transfers from City. That is remarkable in its own respect, but also means that City have the financial capability to spend big on players again before the window is out to get the squad they need for the season.