Man City agree to sign Fernandez from Chelsea for British record fee - reports - Reuters

Manchester City have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez for a fee of £125 million, matching the joint‑British transfer record previously set by Liverpool for Alexander Isak. The deal, confirmed after 24 hours of negotiations, will see the 25‑year‑old undergo a medical before completing a long‑term contract with the club.

Fernandez originally joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for a then‑record £107 million. The new transfer fee represents an £18 million profit for Chelsea on the player’s original purchase price. The move also coincides with City’s recent record‑breaking activity, following their £116 million acquisition of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest earlier this summer.

The midfielder will be reunited with Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, under whom he worked during Maresca’s tenure at Chelsea. City have been seeking to reinforce their midfield after losing several players this summer, and Maresca has expressed a desire to bring Fernandez back into his squad.

Chelsea have indicated that Fernandez was not involved in their recent Premier League win over Brighton or their Carabao Cup victory against Luton, reportedly after he requested to be omitted from the matchday squads. The club is now pursuing replacements, with interest reported in Roma’s Manu Kone, Monaco’s Lamine Camara and other potential Premier League midfield options.

The transfer window remains open until 11 pm BST on 14 August, with clubs allowed to submit deal sheets for an additional two‑hour extension beyond the deadline. Chelsea set a deadline of 17:00 BST for offers of £120 million or more in an effort to resolve the situation before the start of the 2026‑27 season.

Fernandez becomes the fourth player this summer to move to a Premier League club for a fee of at least £100 million, underscoring the high level of spending in the current transfer market.