Chelsea has imposed a Friday deadline for Manchester City to submit an offer for midfielder Enzo Fernandez, valuing the player at £120m. Fernandez remains under contract with Chelsea through the 2030-31 season, having joined the club from Benfica during the 2023 winter transfer window for approximately £107m.
City’s interest in Fernandez stems partly from the midfielder’s previous connection with manager Enzo Maresca, who recently departed Chelsea to take the Manchester City position. Maresca’s exit involved £17m in compensation paid by City to Chelsea earlier in the summer. The relationship between the two clubs has been strained following Maresca’s departure, which was announced on New Year’s Day after he resigned with three and a half years remaining on his Chelsea contract.
Chelsea’s decision to establish the deadline reflects the club’s desire to minimize distractions similar to those that arose when Maresca left. The club intends to allow new manager Xabi Alonso and the squad to concentrate fully on the upcoming season without prolonged transfer uncertainty. Should City fail to meet Chelsea’s valuation and demands by the deadline, Chelsea has indicated it does not plan to sell Fernandez in this window.
City’s potential pursuit of Fernandez may be connected to Barcelona’s ongoing efforts to acquire Rodri, the Spanish midfielder. Barcelona previously had a £40m offer for Rodri rejected and is reportedly preparing to increase their bid to between £50m and £60m. In preparation for any departures, City has already signed midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m and is engaged in discussions with Lille regarding Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Fernandez has previously expressed interest in relocating to Madrid, leading to his omission from Chelsea’s lineup for two matches in April. He and his representatives subsequently apologized for those comments while seeking improved contractual terms. Real Madrid released a statement earlier in the summer denying any intention to pursue Fernandez. The transfer window closes on Tuesday, September 1.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI