Manchester City to bid £100m for Enzo Fernandez as Chelsea deadline passes

Manchester City are preparing a £100m bid for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, with chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak poised to test the west London club’s resolve before the transfer window closes.

City missed Chelsea’s self-imposed deadline of 5pm on August 13 to meet their £120m asking price, but have remained in close contact with Fernandez’s agent, Javier Pastore. The 25-year-old Argentina World Cup winner is understood to be eager to make the move to the Etihad, and City are banking on that desire — and Chelsea’s willingness to deal — to bridge the £20m gap.

Fernandez has become an increasingly marginalised figure at Stamford Bridge. He was omitted from Xabi Alonso’s starting line-up for Chelsea’s win at Fulham, coming on only for the final 30 minutes at Craven Cottage, and has been booed by sections of the home support this season.

New City manager Enzo Maresca managed Fernandez during his time at Chelsea and made clear when he accepted the role of replacing Pep Guardiola that he wanted the midfielder in his squad. Maresca’s vision is to pair Fernandez with record signing Elliot Anderson, while allowing 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi — the Morocco World Cup star City recently signed — to develop gradually.

The urgency of City’s midfield rebuild has been underscored by a significant summer of departures. Bernardo Silva and Rodri have both left the Etihad, and fellow midfielder Nico Gonzalez is on the verge of joining Newcastle in a £50m deal. Gonzalez’s exit was reportedly accelerated after Maresca selected defender Marc Guehi ahead of him in a holding midfield role during last weekend’s 2-1 Premier League win over Bournemouth.

Chelsea are said to be open to cutting deals on most of their players, which may give City room to manoeuvre, but whether the two clubs can close the gap on their valuations remains the central question as the window nears its end.