Enzo Fernandez reunites with Enzo Maresca in mega trading.
Manchester City have completed the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea – in a deal that equals the British record.
Fernandez arrives at the Etihad Stadium for a sum of £125 million – the same amount Liverpool paid Newcastle for Alexander Isak last summer.
As with that deal, City’s pursuit of Fernandez stretched right up until the last day of the window. But in the end, they got the final piece of the puzzle for the midfield rebuild.
Fernandez will be City’s ninth signing this summer – and the third midfielder they have brought in, after Elliot Anderson (£116m) and Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille (£86m).
Rodri went to Barcelona, Nico Gonzalez went to Newcastle, while Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders signed for Real Madrid and Al Qadsiah respectively.
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Fernandez: “Couldn’t be happier”
City now expect Fernandez to form a fearsome midfield trio alongside Anderson and Bouaddi – and reunite with former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.
Fernandez promises to give everything to make it work.
“Manchester City is the most successful club in England in modern times,” he told the club’s official website.
“Every player wants to be part of a club like this – everyone knows how well City are run.
“I couldn’t be happier to be here and I’m ready for the challenge of helping City continue to win trophies. This is a club built for success.
“If you look at the squad, City have quality in all areas. I want to learn from my new teammates and become a better player.
“I pride myself on constantly improving my game. Everyone who has worked with me knows how hard I train every single day – and how much I put into the games. I give absolutely everything, and I can promise Manchester City that it will continue.
“I want to thank Hugo [Viana], Enzo, Khaldoon [Al Mubarak] and everyone at City who has made this deal possible. I will take the trust they have shown me and pay it back as soon as possible.
– A complete midfielder
The amount City have paid for Fernandez reflects how much they value the Argentine.
Fernandez scored 31 goals and provided 29 assists after joining Chelsea from Benfica in 2023. Sporting director Hugo Viana was effusive in his praise:
“At Manchester City, we are always looking for world-class players – and Enzo is a perfect fit.
“He’s a complete midfielder: technically gifted, hardworking, persistent and a goalscorer.
“He’s good at playing in different styles of football – comfortable with possession, but also effective on the counter-attack.
“Having played in two World Cup finals and won major trophies in several countries – as a 25-year-old – says everything you need to know about his mentality, professionalism and technical quality.
“We are happy to be able to bring him here, and we feel strongly that he will improve our team.
