Enzo Fernandez transfer news: Man City considering bid for Chelsea midfielder
Enzo Fernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica for £107m in 2023; the Argentine played in Chelsea's first Premier League game of the season against Fulham; Chelsea set a deadline earlier in August for City to bid but Enzo Maresca still holds an interest in his former player
Wednesday 26 August 2026 12:38, UK
Manchester City are considering making a bid for Enzo Fernandez before the deadline.
Sky Sports News has been reporting for some time that he is a top target for City boss Enzo Maresca following the departure of Rodri.
City have signed Ayyoub Bouaddi - the highly-rated 18-year-old Morocco international, who impressed at the World Cup.
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And they want to make more additions in midfield. They also have interest in Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Roma's Manu Kone.
Analysis: Chelsea-City relationship strained by Maresca and deadline tensions
Chelsea-City relationship strained by Maresca and deadline tensions
Sky Sports News' James Savundra:
"Earlier this month, nearly two weeks ago, Chelsea did set a deadline. It was Friday at 5pm, a couple of weeks ago, for clubs to submit a deal and a bid worth up to £120m; that was the asking price for Fernandez. Man City ignored that deadline, but we do know they do retain an interest in signing the player.
"That deadline doesn't actually seem as fixed as it was set by Chelsea a couple of weeks ago, because when I spoke to Xabi Alonso last week, he offered no guarantees when it came to Fernandez.
"He simply said the player was working hard ahead of that game in the Monday Night Football against Fulham. And then what was so interesting in that game was that there were a number of injury issues that Xabi Alonso was having to deal with ahead of his first match in charge, including no Moises Caicedo.
"It would have felt maybe natural that Enzo Fernandez would have come in. But it was Reece James alongside Romeo Lavia in the centre of midfield instead.
"Fernandez did come on the pitch. He got booed by the Fulham supporters. There were plenty of cheers, though, when it came to the Chelsea supporters, because there was a mixed reception when he came off the bench against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge in their final pre-season friendly around 10 days ago.
"However, it remains to be seen what sort of negotiation Chelsea would be willing to go into with Manchester City because there clearly is a strained relationship between the two football clubs.
"Chelsea's season was completely derailed by what happened with Enzo Maresca leaving around Christmas time, and Man City had to pay Chelsea £17m in compensation because of their role in that. To wait and see what Chelsea's asking price would be, given that we previously knew it to be around £120m."
"What are Man City willing to pay for a player who seems to be Maresca's top target in this transfer window?
"We know City should have money to spend now because they've sold a record number of players in this transfer window, and we know Maresca loves Fernandez."
