Manchester City completed the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea on Tuesday for a joint-British transfer record 125 million pounds. The fee matches the 125 million pounds Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak on transfer deadline day last summer, according to the BBC.
The deal pushed City's spending for the window to a Premier League record 458 million pounds, surpassing Liverpool's 415 million pounds from last summer. City have also received around 300 million pounds from player sales this summer. It is the second time in two months that City have broken their own transfer record, following the 116 million pound arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in July.
Fernandez, 25, joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for what was then a British record fee of 107 million pounds. He had been keen to join Real Madrid earlier this summer and was booed by Chelsea supporters during a friendly against Real Sociedad and again when he came on as a substitute in Chelsea's Premier League opener at Fulham. He was left out of Chelsea's squad for their 4-3 Premier League win over Brighton on Sunday and their 2-0 Carabao Cup victory against Luton three days earlier, with reports in Argentina suggesting he had asked not to be selected.
Before the move was finalized, Fernandez published an open letter on Instagram addressed to Chelsea. "I want you to know that these have not been easy days for me," he wrote. "Writing this is not easy either. The truth is, I haven't been in a good place. From the moment I arrived [at Chelsea], I became obsessed with winning and with bringing this club every trophy that its history deserves. We suffered, we cried, I got angry many times, but we also celebrated titles and unforgettable victories. Together, through the good times and the difficult ones." He added that Chelsea would "always be in my heart."
Fernandez worked previously with City manager Enzo Maresca during Maresca's time at Chelsea. Maresca had been keen to work with him again after losing several midfielders this summer. "I could not be happier to be here, and I am ready for the challenge of helping City continue winning trophies. This is a club built for success," Fernandez told the club's website.
While Chelsea moved to bring in Fernandez's replacement, a separate transfer fell apart. Lamine Camara, a 22-year-old Senegalese midfielder, was set to join Chelsea from Monaco for 47.1 million pounds. Camara completed a medical in France on Tuesday evening, but the switch fell through shortly after the transfer window closed at 23:00 BST. Chelsea say they were informed by Monaco in writing that the deal would not proceed, with no explanation provided. Sources with knowledge of the situation told BBC Sport they believe Monaco's decision was influenced by the status of Everton's proposed move for United States international Folarin Balogun, also a Monaco player. Chelsea had already sanctioned Fernandez's move to City in anticipation of Camara arriving. BBC Sport contacted Monaco for comment; the club had not responded as of publication.
