Manchester City has initiated talks with Premier League side Chelsea in their bid to sign midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
In what is expected to be one of the key narratives on transfer deadline day, City have set the wheels in motion towards what would be one of the most expensive transfers of the summer.
It is claimed Chelsea wants a minimum of £120m for Fernandez, and conversations are under way as both sides negotiate a price.
Fernandez, 25, worked with city manager Enzo Maresca during the Italian’s spell at Chelsea.
Maresca is anxious to work with the Argentina international again, while Fernandez is open to a move to City.
It remains to be seen whether the two teams can agree on a price to complete the transfer.
If the clubs can reach an agreement, the transaction should be completed quickly, with personal terms not an issue.
While the clubs had not had formal contacts before the current talks, Chelsea was aware of City’s interest in Fernandez.
Chelsea set an unofficial deadline for the transaction to be completed earlier this summer for a minimum cost of £120 million, but that timeframe has passed.
Fernandez could become one of the most expensive Premier League transfers in history, trailing only Liverpool’s £125 million deal for Alexander Isak last summer.
Fernandez had a good relationship with Maresca, who departed Chelsea in a contentious manner on New Year’s Day and moved to the Etihad Stadium in June.
It might be the second time City breaks their transfer record in the same window, after spending £116 million to get Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.
There have also been four major midfield departures, with Tijjani Reijnders sold to Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah for £52 million, Barcelona signing Rodri for £65 million, Newcastle agreeing a £52 million deal to sign Nico Gonzalez, and Bernardo Silva leaving earlier this summer to join Real Madrid.
Fernandez has had a difficult tenure at Stamford Bridge, during which he and his agent, former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore, sparked interest from Real Madrid, only for the Spanish club to publish a statement denying any attempt to sign him.
The crisis has been ongoing since Chelsea was eliminated from the Champions League by PSG in March, following which Fernandez became increasingly critical of the club.
