Manchester City Near Enzo Fernandez Transfer as Deadline Approaches
Manchester City have struck an initial agreement with Chelsea to sign Enzo Fernandez, with the World Cup-winning midfielder now racing the clock to complete a dramatic deadline-day switch.
City moved decisively at the start of the week. According to British outlet "The Sun", senior figures at the Etihad finally opened direct talks with their Premier League rivals on Monday over a deal for the 25-year-old, breaking the deadlock that had lingered through most of the window.
Now the move is down to hours, not days. Fernandez must finalise the transfer before the window shuts at 11pm local time tonight, leaving little margin for delays in paperwork or medical checks.
A reunion in Manchester
If the deal gets over the line, Fernandez will be reunited with Enzo Maresca, the coach he publicly backed during their time together at Chelsea and who stepped into the Manchester City job in the summer following Pep Guardiola’s departure.
The Italian’s appointment at the Etihad adds an extra layer to this story. Fernandez has already made clear how strongly he felt about Maresca’s work and his dismissal at Stamford Bridge, comments that now echo loudly as the pair stand on the brink of linking up again.
Renowned journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has confirmed that City have reached an initial agreement with Chelsea, clearing the way for the player to move into the final stages of the transfer. Fernandez is now waiting for the green light to undergo his medical before putting pen to paper.
Chelsea go quiet, Alonso keeps cards close
On Chelsea’s side, the silence has been telling. Enzo Fernandez was left out of the squad for Sunday’s match against Brighton, a notable omission at such a sensitive point in the window.
Manager Xabi Alonso refused to be drawn when asked if the Argentine had already played his last game for the club.
"We'll see. We want what's best for the team, which is why we made the decision against Luton and today, and anything that happens before Tuesday evening, we need to be aware of how things will develop," he said, offering no guarantees and no farewell either.
He did, however, insist Chelsea would be ready for whatever comes next.
"We're not sure, we're preparing for all scenarios, but I'm certain that whatever happens from Wednesday, we'll have a good enough squad to compete in all the Premier League matches."
Those words sounded pragmatic. They also sounded like a manager braced for a major departure.
Old wounds, familiar face
The potential move to Manchester comes with history. Back in January, Fernandez openly criticised the Chelsea hierarchy after Maresca was sacked, making no attempt to hide his frustration.
"I don't understand it," he told Mexican network "TUDN". "Sometimes there are things we don't understand as players, and how and in what way they try to manage matters."
He did not stop there.
"Clearly it was a departure that hurt us a lot, especially in the middle of the season, as it cuts everything off suddenly."
For Fernandez, Maresca was not just another coach passing through.
"We had an identity. He gave us a system, although according to the nature of football, things are sometimes good and sometimes bad. But he always had a very clear identity when it came to training and playing," he said.
That identity may soon be revived in Manchester, this time with City’s resources and ambitions behind it.
Now everything rests on the final hours: medical, contracts, signatures. If nothing breaks down, Enzo Fernandez will swap blue for blue — and step back under the command of the coach whose sacking he never accepted.
