Enzo Fernandez set for £120m Manchester City move after Chelsea squad omission

Manchester City are on the verge of signing Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea in a deal that could reach £120m, with the 25-year-old Argentina midfielder left out of the Blues’ Carabao Cup squad to face Luton Town — a day after manager Xabi Alonso had said he expected Fernandez to be involved.

The base fee for Fernandez is reported to be lower than the £116m City paid Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson earlier this summer, but add-ons could make him City’s record signing. The deal would reunite Fernandez with manager Enzo Maresca, who worked with the midfielder at Chelsea before departing for the Etihad.

Fernandez’s arrival would take City’s spending on midfielders this summer to approximately £300m, representing a sweeping rebuild following the departure of Pep Guardiola and the subsequent exits of Rodri and Bernardo Silva. Anderson and 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, signed for £86m, had already arrived before this latest move.

City have offset some of that outlay, recouping around £100m through the sales of Tijjani Reijnders to Al-Qadsiah and Nico Gonzalez to Newcastle.

Alonso, who named a strong side including Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers against Luton, offered a carefully worded explanation for Fernandez’s absence. “We assessed situations, individual and collective, and we have decided he is not in the squad for today,” the Chelsea head coach said. When asked whether he wanted to retain the midfielder, Alonso added: “We want to have the best team possible. We know his qualities. He has shown it and we have to wait, but we will think about tomorrow and let’s see how things develop.”

Fernandez had featured as a substitute in Chelsea’s Premier League opener at Fulham, where he was booed by the home crowd over his involvement in Argentina’s World Cup semi-final victory against England. He received a warmer response from Chelsea supporters, though he had also been jeered during a pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge.

With Fernandez’s exit now appearing imminent, Chelsea are understood to be exploring a move for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott as a replacement. The Cherries have so far resisted approaches, but there is a belief that a bid in excess of £80m — and potentially closer to £90m — could prompt a change of position.