Manchester City completed the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea on Tuesday, in a deal reported at £125 million ($167 million) that ties the British transfer record — matching the fee Liverpool paid Newcastle last year for Swedish striker Alexander Isak.
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The Argentine international's move reunites him with manager Enzo Maresca, who coached him at Chelsea before stepping into the challenging role of replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad. Maresca reportedly played a key role in pushing the deal through, coming after City sold influential World Cup winner Rodri to Barcelona and lost fellow midfielders Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez, and Tijjani Reijnders.
At 25, Fernandez will now line up alongside England international Elliot Anderson and Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi as part of City's rebuilt midfield, which has cost the club more than £300 million in total.
In a statement released by City, Fernandez said joining a club like this was something every player aspires to, given City's reputation for being well run. He described it as a club built around success, noted the depth of quality across the squad, and said he was looking forward to learning from his new teammates to keep developing as a player.
During his time at Chelsea, Fernandez helped the club win the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup, though his standing with supporters had cooled amid a perception that he was eager to leave Stamford Bridge. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso had already omitted him from the squad for the previous two matches as talk of a move to City intensified.
In a lengthy farewell message posted to Instagram, Fernandez acknowledged that the period leading up to the transfer had been difficult for him personally, admitting he hadn't been in a good headspace and that putting his feelings into words wasn't easy either. He reflected that life often calls for tough choices, and that he now found himself facing one of those moments.
Fernandez had joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for £106 million, but drew criticism from fans last season after voicing interest in a possible move to Real Madrid, which led to him being benched for two games at the time.
On the international stage, Fernandez scored twice during Argentina's run to the World Cup final, including a standout goal against England in the semi-final. However, his tournament ended on a low note when he was sent off in the final, as Argentina fell 1-0 and missed the chance to defend their world championship title.
City's director of football, Hugo Viana, praised Fernandez as a complete midfielder technically skilled, hardworking, tenacious, and capable of scoring goals. He pointed out that reaching two World Cup finals and winning major trophies in different countries by the age of 25 speaks volumes about his mentality, professionalism, and technical ability, adding that the club is thrilled to bring him in and confident he'll strengthen the team.
