Manchester City are close to sealing the signing of Enzo Fernández from Chelsea, with reports saying a £125million deal has been agreed between the clubs. Chelsea had wanted at least £120m for the midfielder, and the size of the fee has pushed this into one of the biggest moves of deadline day.
Chelsea's valuation and the fee dispute
The gap between the two clubs has not sounded wide for some time. Manchester Evening News reported the breakthrough at £125m, while the Daily Star framed the move as City working towards a near £200m deadline-day double deal that also involves Iliman Ndiaye.
The other part of the story is the timing. The window is set to shut at 11pm, so City are moving fast if they want both deals done. That leaves little room for a slow negotiation, even with Manchester City now said to be in pole position for Fernández.
City's push also fits the numbers around Fernández himself. He has made 7 appearances and played 690 minutes in 2026, with a season rating of 7.05. His most recent five-match run has included ratings of 7.6 and 7.9 in two of his last outings, which helps explain why he is being chased as an active midfielder rather than a stalled one.
City are also arriving here after winning 4 of their last 5 matches in all competitions. That form means the spending is not being driven by a collapse in results, but by a club still trying to add another high-end midfielder before the deadline.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
