Man City open talks with Chelsea over Fernandez move

Manchester City have initiated conversations with Chelsea regarding the transfer of midfielder Enzo Fernandez. This development is expected to be a significant storyline on transfer deadline day, potentially one of the costliest deals of the summer. Chelsea is demanding a minimum fee of £120 million for Fernandez, and negotiations are underway between the two clubs.

The 25-year-old Fernandez has previously worked with City's manager, Enzo Maresca, during his stint at Chelsea, and Maresca is eager to continue working with the Argentine international. Fernandez is also open to a move to City. The final price and terms have yet to be mutually agreed upon. If a deal is struck, it is anticipated to be finalized swiftly, as personal terms are not a concern.

While there was no formal discussion prior to these current talks, Chelsea was aware of City's interest in Fernandez. The initial deadline set by Chelsea for completing the deal earlier in the summer has already passed. Should the deal go through, Fernandez would likely become one of the most expensive signings in Premier League history, following Liverpool's £125 million acquisition of Alexander Isak last summer.

Maresca left Chelsea in a controversial manner on New Year's Day and joined City in June, which may have contributed to Fernandez's positive relationship with the new manager. This move could potentially be the second time City breaks their transfer record within the same window, as they paid £116 million for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest earlier this summer.

Additionally, there have been four major midfield departures from City, with Tijjani Reijnders sold to an Saudi Arabian club for £52 million, Barcelona signing Rodri for £65 million, Newcastle agreeing to a £52 million deal for Nico Gonzalez, and Bernardo Silva moving to Real Madrid earlier in the summer. Fernandez's tenure at Chelsea has been challenging, with him and his agent, former Paris St-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore, receiving interest from Real Madrid before the Spanish club issued a statement denying any intent to sign him.

This situation has been ongoing since Chelsea's exit from the Champions League to PSG in March, after which Fernandez became increasingly critical of the club.