Manchester City are not willing to pay in excess of £120 million for Chelsea midfield mainstay Enzo Fernandez.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Manchester City have made it clear that they will not pay £120 million for Enzo Fernandez. The Citizens view £120 million as excessive and remain unwilling to reach that mark, while going beyond that figure is completely out of the picture.
They have no intention of exceeding the £116 million they spent on Elliot Anderson earlier this summer. That has left the Argentine midfielder’s camp working to find a solution. Chelsea have allowed super-agent Jorge Mendes to become involved in the negotiations, with Mendes now working alongside Fernandez’s agent Javier Pastore and other representatives to explore whether an agreement can be reached.
The Blues had previously imposed a deadline for a potential transfer and subsequently insisted that Fernandez would remain at Stamford Bridge. However, negotiations have continued behind the scenes, with City maintaining their interest in the 25-year-old.
Enzo Fernandez is also keen on completing the move. Manchester City’s interest has a lot to do with head coach Enzo Maresca’s desire to work with the midfielder again, having previously coached him at Chelsea.
City remain open to signing another midfielder
However, the biggest obstacle remains the valuation. City and Chelsea currently remain some distance apart, with neither club showing signs of abandoning its position. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner has established himself as one of the most reliable midfielders in Europe since joining Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023.
After initially taking time to adapt to English football, Fernandez has become a key figure at Stamford Bridge. His importance was particularly evident last season, when he produced 15 goals and seven assists in 54 appearances across all competitions.
The situation is particularly interesting because City are already reshaping their midfield after Rodri’s move to Barcelona. They are preparing to announce the arrival of Lille prodigy Ayyoub Bouaddi in a deal worth around £85 million, but the Moroccan international is not viewed as a direct replacement for Rodri. City therefore remain open to adding another elite midfielder, and Fernandez fits the profile they are looking for.
Chelsea have little reason to force the midfielder out, either. The club believe Fernandez can thrive under new head coach Xabi Alonso, who is reportedly more than happy to keep the Argentine as part of his plans. That leaves City needing to decide whether they are prepared to stretch their financial limits for a player Maresca wants.