Enzo Fernández Set for £125m Manchester City Move in Record-Breaking Deadline-Day Deal

Manchester City have agreed a £125 million deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández, in a dramatic deadline-day move that will equal the British transfer record.

The Argentina international is expected to undergo a medical before completing the transfer, with the deal coming together in the final hours of the summer transfer window.

The £125m fee matches the British record set when Alexander Isak moved from Newcastle United to Liverpool in 2025. It also represents a new club record for Manchester City, surpassing the £116m they paid for midfielder Elliot Anderson.

Fernández joined Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023 for a British-record fee of about £106.8m.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, the 25-year-old became an important figure in Chelsea’s midfield and enjoyed an especially productive 2025/26 campaign, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists as the club won the Conference League and Club World Cup.

His departure means Fernández will become the first player to be sold for more than £100m on two separate occasions, highlighting the extraordinary financial scale of the deal.

The midfielder was left out of Chelsea’s recent matches as speculation over his future intensified, with Manchester City eventually pushing through the transfer on deadline day.

The move will also reunite Fernández with Enzo Maresca, who previously coached him at Chelsea before becoming Manchester City’s manager earlier this year.

Maresca is understood to have been influential in City’s pursuit of the Argentine midfielder, who is expected to become a major part of the club’s midfield plans.

Fernández’s arrival also comes after an impressive summer of spending by Manchester City. The club had already brought in players including Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi, with its total spending approaching £400m before the Fernández deal.

While City celebrate a major signing, Chelsea now face a difficult task replacing one of their most important midfielders with the transfer window closing.

The London club have explored several options, including Lamine Camara of Monaco and Manu Koné of Roma, but negotiations have proved difficult.

Chelsea’s summer has already involved significant movement, with the club undertaking a major squad reshaping and generating substantial income from player sales.

Losing Fernández at the last moment, however, leaves manager Xabi Alonso with a major midfield decision as the season progresses.

The Fernández transfer represents another huge statement of ambition from Manchester City as they look to strengthen their squad following a campaign in which they finished second to Arsenal in the Premier League.

City have already invested heavily in their midfield and attacking options, and Fernández’s arrival could give Maresca another elite-level player capable of controlling games, progressing the ball and contributing goals.

For Chelsea, meanwhile, the sale brings a huge financial return but also creates an immediate sporting challenge.

With the deadline rapidly approaching, all eyes are now on whether the Blues can secure a replacement before the window closes.