With a huge fee and a deadline: Chelsea impose their conditions on City in the deal for Rodri's replacement
Will Enzo and Maresca reunite?
Chelsea have handed Manchester City a deadline to lodge an official bid for Enzo Fernandez, with the Sky Blues pressing to sign the Argentine midfielder in the current window.
According to "The Athletic", Chelsea have told Manchester City's hierarchy and Fernandez's camp that they have until 5pm next Friday, British time, to table a bid worth 120 million pounds. Miss it, and the player stays in London.
Chelsea settle their stance
The Blues are holding firm on their valuation, roughly 161 million dollars, and insist Fernandez's agent was told this figure back in May.
Should the requested bid fail to arrive before the deadline, Chelsea believe the door on any exit slams shut, even though they know full well how keen Manchester City are.
The Athletic had earlier revealed City's desire to land Fernandez, built on the strong bond the player shares with his former coach Enzo Maresca, who recently took the reins at the Etihad.
City also want the Argentine as a replacement for Rodri, who looks set to join Barcelona in a deal that is expected to go through.
A special relationship with Maresca
Fernandez and Maresca hit it off during the Italian's spell at Chelsea, and the relationship has endured despite Maresca leaving the London club.
All of this unfolds with the midfielder's future unresolved at Chelsea, who chose not to add him to their list of "non-sellable" players over the summer.
Chelsea suspended Fernandez for two matches last April over comments he made on Argentina duty, when he criticised some of the club management's decisions and dropped hints read as openness to a Real Madrid move.
Fernandez's contract until 2032
Talks over a new contract remain stuck. His agent Javier Bastori spoke earlier this year about the lack of any tangible progress.
Tied to a deal that runs until 2032, Fernandez leaves Chelsea in a commanding position in any negotiations over his departure.
His midfield partner Moises Caicedo, meanwhile, has already stepped in to urge him to stay, after Fernandez's name was linked with Real Madrid.
