Manchester City is reportedly preparing to submit an opening offer for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The Argentina international has been designated as a primary target by manager Enzo Maresca to strengthen City's midfield following several high-profile player exits.
Chelsea is aware of Manchester City's interest and has unofficially set a minimum fee of £120 million for the transfer, with a deadline for completion earlier this summer. Despite this, City is expected to make another attempt to secure the 25-year-old player before the upcoming transfer deadline next week.
If the transfer proceeds at the reported valuation, Fernandez could become one of the most expensive signings in Premier League history, surpassing Liverpool's £125 million acquisition of Alexander Isak last summer. Fernandez reportedly maintains a positive relationship with Maresca, who previously worked at Chelsea before moving to the Etihad Stadium.
This potential move could mark the second time Manchester City breaks its transfer record within the same window, having previously paid £116 million to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. The club has also seen significant midfield departures this summer, including Tijjani Reijnders, who was sold to Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah for £52 million, and Rodri, who joined Barcelona for £65 million. Newcastle United has agreed to a £52 million deal for Nico Gonzalez, and Bernardo Silva also departed earlier in the summer for Real Madrid.
Fernandez's tenure at Stamford Bridge has been marked by turbulence. Reports indicate that he and his agent explored interest from Real Madrid, which the Spanish club subsequently denied. The situation intensified after Chelsea's elimination from the Champions League in March, following which Fernandez reportedly became more critical of the club. New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso acknowledged having a private conversation with Fernandez in July, though he declined to share specific details of their discussion.