Enzo Fernandez is expected to remain at Chelsea for the duration of the current season, as the club's self-imposed deadline for triggering his £120 million release clause passed on Friday without any offers. Manchester City and other suitors did not submit a bid before the 5 p.m. cutoff, leading Chelsea to assert that a departure is now highly unlikely.
Fernandez had reportedly wished to reunite with former manager Enzo Maresca at Manchester City. Chelsea had previously informed the player's representatives in May that a transfer would be facilitated if the £120 million release clause was met. Those terms are no longer active.
Maresca acknowledged that Manchester City has significant transfer business to conduct. The club is awaiting finalization of Rodri's future, with Barcelona reportedly confident of securing the Spanish captain. Manchester City is seeking in excess of £60 million for Rodri, who underwent back surgery after the World Cup and returned to training on Friday.
In other transfer news, Tijjani Reijnders is reportedly on his way to Al Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia for £52 million. Tottenham is also working to finalize a deal for Savinho. Manchester City is scheduled to face Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday.
Maresca indicated that further player departures from Manchester City could occur in the coming weeks. "We'll see what happens with some more, there is a change in this moment," he stated. "We are in a moment where players that were here many years have already left or [others who] probably can leave. And that means there is a change. We're going to try to do our best. At the moment the transfer window closes, we need to be good enough to find as soon as possible solutions for the team."
Maresca declined to comment on players from other clubs, emphasizing that it is inappropriate for managers to discuss the personnel of opposing teams. He added that this is especially true after a summer of speculation surrounding Rodri.
The manager also addressed player motivation and potential transfers, noting that some players may seek more playing time. "They all work every day, they all do sessions every day and at the end of the week they all want to play a game," Maresca said. "When they don’t play, they struggle to understand or they struggle to see the reason why and I can understand that after one season some of them would like to play a little bit more. It’s a bit difficult to convince players when they are already convinced. You need to change their thoughts, that is not always easy."
He drew parallels between Reijnders' situation and that of James Trafford, suggesting that if a player, the club, and the manager all agree that a move is best, it should be facilitated. "Tijjani’s situation is like James Trafford’s situation and some more players but I think when the club, the player, the manager, they all think the same way, that probably the best decision for a player is to go, you have to go."