Sports

Manchester City Agree Joint-British Record £125m Deal For Chelsea Star Enzo Fernandez

Published September 1, 2026 at 7:38 PM

File photo of Chelsea star, Enzo Fernandez

Key Takeaways

Manchester City agreed a joint-British record £125m deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez on September 1, 2026, with a medical next.
City manager, Enzo Maresca, pushed the move after City lost Tijjani Reijnders, Rodri, Nico Gonzalez and Bernardo Silva in summer exits.
Chelsea’s summer sales will pass £400m with Fernandez leaving, after Nicolas Jackson’s £65m switch and Liam Delap’s £50m move, as they trim the squad.

Manchester City have agreed on a joint-British record £125 million deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez on transfer deadline day.

The clubs reached an agreement earlier today, September 1, 2026, after more than 24 hours of negotiations, with the Argentina international now set to undergo a medical before completing a long-term move to the Etihad Stadium.

Personal terms are not expected to be a problem. The fee matches the £125m Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak last summer, while Fernandez’s move comes three years after Chelsea paid Benfica a then-British record £107m for his services.

City manager Enzo Maresca pushed for the signing after previously working with Fernandez during his time in charge of Chelsea. Maresca wants to strengthen his midfield after losing several key players this summer.

Tijjani Reijnders joined Al-Qadsiah for £52m, Rodri moved to Barcelona for £65m, while Nico Gonzalez signed for Newcastle for £52m. Bernardo Silva also left after joining Real Madrid as a free agent.

Fernandez did not feature in Chelsea’s 4-3 Premier League win over Brighton on Sunday or their 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Luton three days earlier, amid reports in Argentina that he had asked to be left out of the squad.

Fernandez’s arrival marks City’s second club-record signing of the summer after they paid £116m for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.

The midfielder becomes the fourth player to move to a Premier League club for at least £100m this summer, following Morgan Rogers’ £117m transfer to Chelsea, Bradley Barcola’s £123m move to Liverpool and Anderson’s switch to City.

Chelsea had hoped to keep Fernandez, but the midfielder had been pushing for a move since March. He initially targeted Real Madrid, but the Spanish giants ruled out making an offer.

His departure, alongside Nicolas Jackson’s £65m move to Aston Villa and Liam Delap’s £50m transfer to Nottingham Forest, will take Chelsea’s summer sales beyond £400m. That figure surpasses their previous record of around £300m set last season as the club continues to trim their squad after finishing 10th in the Premier League.

Author:

Ernest Victor

Victor Ernest Osong is a passionate communicator, teacher, poet, well-trained journalist, creative strategist, purpose-driven storyteller, and realist. With a strong foundation in writing, editing, content development, and leadership, he specializes in shaping narratives that inform, inspire, and ignite action. Email: [email protected]