The historic deal is completed at the last minute: Manchester City officially announce the Enzo signing
The Argentine star signed a five-season contract worth £125 million.
Argentina's Enzo Fernandez completed his move from Chelsea to Manchester City in the final hours of the summer transfer window, after the two clubs reached an agreement worth 125 million pounds.
Manchester City announced in an official statement published in the early hours of Wednesday morning the signing of Enzo Fernandez for five years.
Enzo matches Isak
The deal matches the Premier League's transfer record, previously set by Liverpool when they signed Alexander Isak, according to The Sun.
Before signing his long-term deal, the 25-year-old midfielder passed a medical. He now reunites with his former Chelsea coach, Italy's Enzo Maresca, who succeeded Pep Guardiola in the summer.
City had opened direct talks with Chelsea over Fernandez on Monday. Negotiations then accelerated in the closing hours of the window to seal the deal before the deadline.
Since March, Fernandez had been pushing to leave Chelsea. Maresca saw him as a key midfield addition, especially after a number of players departed from that position during the summer.
Chelsea had earlier expected their player to stay. They set a deadline of 14 August to receive offers of no less than 120 million pounds, and City never submitted a bid in that period. Things changed as the window neared its close.
Enzo's first words after signing for City
Enzo said in comments to his new club's website after signing: "Manchester City is the most successful club in England in recent years. Every player wants to be part of a club like this, because everyone knows how good the management is at Manchester City."
He added: "I couldn't be happier to be here, and I'm ready for the challenge of helping the team continue to collect titles. It's a club built for success. If you look at the squad, you'll find quality in every position. I want to learn from my new teammates and become a better player."
He continued: "I always make sure to constantly improve my level. Everyone who has worked with me knows how hard I work in training every day, and how much I give during matches. I give everything I have, and I can promise Manchester City that I'll continue to do that now that I've joined the club."
The Argentine went on: "I'd like to thank Hugo, Enzo, Khaldoon, and everyone at Manchester City who made this deal possible. I want to repay the trust they've placed in me, and to prove it as soon as possible."
An emotional farewell
Fernandez also said goodbye to the Chelsea fans with an emotional message across his social media accounts, revealing just how hard the days leading up to his exit from Stamford Bridge had been.
He wrote: "I want you to know that these days have not been easy for me, and writing these words is not easy either. The truth is that I have not been in a good state."
He added: "Three years ago, Cobham and Stamford Bridge became a home for me and my family. I became attached to the people, to the shirt, and to the badge of this wonderful club."
He continued: "Thank you for all the love and support you gave me and my family throughout these years. I will never forget it. This group will give you many more reasons to be happy, and I will be happy for you too, never doubt that."
He concluded: "You will always remain in my heart, Chelsea fans. I will always wish you all the best. Blue always. Thank you Chelsea."
Chelsea coach Xabi Alonso, for his part, stayed largely tight-lipped about Fernandez's future when asked whether the player might leave after being left out of the squad for one of the matches.
The Spanish coach said: "We'll see. We want the best for the team, and that's why we made our decisions, and whatever might happen before Tuesday evening, we have to be aware of it."
He added: "We're not certain, and we're preparing for all scenarios, but I'm confident that, whatever happens, we'll have a team good enough to compete in all Premier League matches from Wednesday onwards."
Fernandez had earlier criticised the Chelsea board following Maresca's dismissal last January, venting his frustration at the coach's departure mid-season.
He said in earlier comments: "I don't understand it. Sometimes there are things we players don't understand, and how and in what way they try to manage things."
He added: "It's clear that his departure hurt us a lot, especially in the middle of the season, because that cuts everything off. We had an identity, and he gave us a clear system, even if football has good times and bad times."
Fernandez joined Chelsea in January 2023 from Benfica for 106 million pounds, a British record at the time. He went on to win the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup with the club.
The player and his agent, former Argentina international Javier Pastore, also made his desire to leave public during the summer. His name was linked with Real Madrid too, before the Spanish club issued a statement confirming they were not pursuing the deal.
