Manchester City have completed the signing of Enzo Fernández from Chelsea for a joint-British-record fee of £125 million, bringing one of the biggest transfers of the window to a dramatic conclusion on Deadline Day.
softfootball gathered The £125m fee matches the British transfer record established by Liverpool when they signed Alexander Isak from Newcastle last summer.
Fernández has signed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium and will now reunite with former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who worked with the Argentine midfielder during his time at Stamford Bridge.
The transfer comes more than three months after Fernández first informed Chelsea that he wanted to leave the club. Chelsea had also imposed a deadline for bids more than two weeks before the eventual agreement was reached, eventually allowing the midfielder to depart for a significant fee.
Chelsea will make an £18m profit on Fernández, having signed him from Benfica for £107m three-and-a-half years ago.
However, the situation surrounding his departure has been complicated by Chelsea’s fury over Monaco’s late decision to abandon the sale of Lamine Camara.
Camara had been identified as Fernández’s replacement and was set to join Chelsea for £47m. A six-year contract had been prepared, while the player had completed his medical as the transfer moved into its final stages.
There was also a full written club-to-club agreement between Chelsea and Monaco for the transfer.
Yet, shortly after the 11pm transfer deadline passed, Monaco informed Chelsea in writing that they were reneging on the agreement.
The French club’s decision was reportedly linked to Folarin Balogun. Monaco had successfully renegotiated a deal to sell the USA international to Everton, prompting them to reconsider Camara’s departure. However, Balogun then sensationally walked away from the Everton move, leaving Monaco without either transfer.
Chelsea had the option of pulling the plug on Fernández’s move to Manchester City after Camara’s deal collapsed, but the Blues chose to honour their commitment and complete the agreement with City.
The decision has left Chelsea particularly frustrated because they had already planned their midfield restructuring around Fernández’s departure and Camara’s arrival.
The Premier League club reportedly considers Monaco’s conduct extraordinary and deeply unprofessional, given that the two clubs had a full written agreement and the Camara transfer had progressed so far.
Chelsea therefore ended Deadline Day with a record £125m sale completed, but without the midfielder they had lined up to replace Fernández.
