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Manchester City have agreed a £125 million deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
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The fee would equal the British transfer record, with Fernandez now set to undergo a medical before completing the move.
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The Argentina international is set to reunite with former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca at Manchester City.
September 01, (THEWILL) — Manchester City have agreed a stunning £125 million deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez on transfer deadline day, bringing one of the summer’s longest-running transfer sagas to a dramatic conclusion.
The 25-year-old has been given permission to undergo a medical as City race to complete the deal before the transfer window closes. The reported fee would equal the British transfer record and underline the club’s determination to strengthen their midfield.
Fernandez had been at the centre of speculation throughout the summer, with Chelsea previously making it clear that they would only consider selling their captain for a huge fee. City had initially failed to make an offer by the deadline Chelsea set in August, leaving the Argentine expected to remain at Stamford Bridge.
However, negotiations were revived as deadline day approached, with City eventually agreeing a deal worth £125 million.
Fernandez set for Manchester City reunion
One of the biggest factors behind City’s pursuit of Fernandez is his relationship with Enzo Maresca.
Maresca worked with Fernandez during his time as Chelsea manager and is understood to have been keen on bringing the midfielder to the Etihad Stadium after taking charge of City.
The move would therefore reunite the pair in Manchester, with Fernandez arriving as City continue to reshape a midfield that has undergone significant changes this summer.
City have already invested heavily in the position, signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million and Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for £86 million. They have also seen Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders leave the club.
Fernandez would now become the most expensive addition of that rebuilding project.
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From British-record Chelsea signing to £125m exit
Fernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023 for around £107 million, a British transfer record at the time.
The Argentine quickly became an important part of the Chelsea midfield and eventually took on the club captaincy.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, he made 170 appearances, scoring 31 goals and providing 30 assists, while helping Chelsea win the Conference League and the 2025 Club World Cup.
His departure would therefore bring an end to a three-and-a-half-year spell that began with enormous expectations after his record-breaking arrival from Portugal.
Why Chelsea eventually agreed to sell
Fernandez’s future had become increasingly uncertain in recent weeks.
Chelsea had previously valued the midfielder at around £120 million and had set City a deadline to make an offer in August, but no bid arrived before that deadline.
The midfielder was subsequently left out of Chelsea’s squad for the Carabao Cup victory over Luton Town and was again absent against Brighton, further increasing speculation that his future was heading away from Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s decision to sanction the sale also leaves the club with a major task before the window closes, as they look to find a replacement for one of their most important midfielders.
City land another major signing
For Manchester City, the agreement represents another statement of intent following a summer of significant squad changes.
The club finished as Premier League runners-up last season and have been aggressive in rebuilding their midfield after losing several established players.
Fernandez brings Premier League experience, Champions League pedigree and international quality, having played a key role for Argentina since his breakthrough at the 2022 World Cup.
His arrival also gives Maresca another player familiar with his methods as City look to challenge for the Premier League title.
With the transfer deadline fast approaching, the immediate priority is completing Fernandez’s medical and finalising the paperwork.
If everything goes through as expected, one of the summer’s biggest transfer stories will end with Enzo Fernandez leaving Chelsea for Manchester City in a £125 million British-record-equalling move.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
