Manchester City have officially announced the signing of Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez on a contract until 2031.
Enzo Fernandez
Club: Manchester City
The transfer cost £125 million, which Chelsea received.
The transfer fee matches the current British transfer record, set by Liverpool when they signed Alexander Isak from Newcastle United last summer, in a deal that was also completed in the final days of the transfer window.
Enzo said after joining Manchester City: "Manchester City is the most successful club in England in recent years."
He added, "Every player wants to be part of a club like this, because everyone knows how good Manchester City's management is."
He continued, "I could not be happier to be here, and I am ready for this challenge to help Manchester City continue winning titles. This is a club built for success."
He went on to say, "If you look at the squad, you will find quality in every position. I want to learn from my new teammates and become a better player."
He emphasized, "I am always proud to strive to improve my level. Everyone who has worked with me knows how hard I train every day and how much I give in matches. I give everything I have, and I can promise Manchester City that this will continue now that I have joined the team."
He concluded, "I would like to thank Hugo, Enzo, Khaldoon, and all the people at Manchester City who made this transfer possible. I want to repay the trust they have placed in me as soon as possible."
Fernandez's transfer puts an end to a long saga regarding the future of the 25-year-old at Chelsea.
The London club had announced on August 14 that it expected Fernandez to remain with the team for the 2026-27 season, after a deadline he had set himself passed without Manchester City submitting an offer to sign him.
Chelsea had valued Fernandez at £120 million and insisted at the time that if they did not receive an offer of that amount within the specified deadline, the player would not leave the club this summer.
The London club clarified that its terms had been communicated to Manchester City and Fernandez's camp, and confirmed that the player's representatives had been aware of the club's valuation since May.
However, The Athletic reported on Monday that Manchester City turned their attention to Fernandez after their attempt to sign Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo was rejected by the English club, which turned down an offer worth up to £80 million, before the two clubs now reached an agreement on the Argentine player's transfer.
Fernandez had been booed by Chelsea fans during the team's last friendly in the pre-season against Real Sociedad, and the same happened in the Premier League opener against Fulham.
At the end of the Fulham match, the player went to the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms without joining his teammates in front of the team's fans outside the stadium, and he also missed the next two matches against Luton Town in the EFL Cup and Brighton in the league on Sunday.
Fernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023 for £106.8 million, a deal that was then the British transfer record, and his contract with the club runs until 2032.
The player had raised doubts about his future at Chelsea on several occasions during the final stages of the 2025-26 season, and former manager Liam Rosenor eventually benched him for two matches in April.
Fernandez's agent, former Argentine international Javier Pastore, told The Athletic at the time that the punishment was completely unfair, before the player later apologized and returned to the team's squad.
The Athletic had reported in April that Manchester City were considering signing Fernandez to strengthen their midfield during the summer.
City had already signed English midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, as well as Ayoze Perez from Lille for an initial fee of €95 million.
This comes after Rodri's move to Barcelona and Tijjani Reijnders' departure to Saudi Arabia's Al Qadsiah, while Tottenham Hotspur signed Savio and Omar Marmoush.
Fernandez had previously worked under new Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca for 18 months during the Italian coach's time at Chelsea.
In contrast, Real Madrid publicly denied reports earlier in the summer linking them with the signing of the Argentine midfielder, who won the 2022 World Cup.
Fernandez made 170 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 31 goals and providing 30 assists.
