Manchester City have completed the signing of midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea on the final day of the summer transfer window for a fee of £125 million ($169 million), equaling the British transfer record.
The deal was finalized in the closing minutes before the window shut at 10:00 PM GMT on Tuesday. City confirmed the agreement with a video posted on social media platform X, with the fee matching the amount Liverpool paid Newcastle for Alexander Isak last summer.
Fernandez, 25, is a member of the Argentina squad that reached the 2026 World Cup final. He had long been tipped to leave Stamford Bridge. Prior to the deal being sealed, he posted a farewell message to Chelsea fans on Instagram, acknowledging a difficult period: "I want you to know that these past days have not been easy for me. Writing these lines is not easy either. The truth is that I have not been in a good state."
Fernandez won the UEFA Conference League in 2025 and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the same year with Chelsea. He joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for £106 million ($143.2 million). Last season, he upset the London club by expressing a desire to join Real Madrid and was left out of the squad for two matches as a result.
At the 2026 World Cup, Fernandez scored twice for Argentina, including a stunning strike against England in the semi-final. However, his tournament ended with a red card in the final as Argentina lost 1-0 and failed to defend their title.
Coach Enzo Maresca previously worked with Fernandez at Chelsea before taking over Pep Guardiola's role at the Etihad. The Italian was the driving force behind bringing Fernandez to City after the club let Rodri move to Barcelona, alongside the departures of midfielders Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez, and Tijjani Reijnders. Fernandez will line up alongside Elliot Anderson of England and Ayyoub Bouaddi of Morocco in a rebuilt midfield costing over £300 million ($405.4 million).
Speaking after the transfer was completed, Fernandez said: "Every player wants to be part of a club like this because everyone knows how well City is run. This is a club built for success. I want to learn from my new teammates and become a better player."
City's sporting director Hugo Viana praised him, saying: "He is a complete midfielder—technician, hardworking, strong, and a goal scorer. Having played in two World Cup finals and won major trophies in several countries at just 25 speaks volumes about his mentality, professionalism, and technical quality."
