Manchester City are moving rapidly towards the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea, with an initial agreement in place and the clock ticking down towards tonight’s transfer deadline.
Club officials from City finally sat down for direct talks with their Premier League rivals on Monday, accelerating a pursuit that had been simmering in the background. Reports in Britain, including from "The Sun", say those discussions have produced a breakthrough over the 25-year-old midfielder.
Now comes the race against time. The window shuts at 11pm local time, and Fernandez has to get every formality completed before it slams shut.
A reunion in sky blue
If the deal goes through, Fernandez will walk into a familiar dressing room voice. He is preparing to link up again with Enzo Maresca, the coach he publicly backed at Chelsea and who now occupies the Etihad hot seat after replacing Pep Guardiola in the summer.
That relationship matters. Back in January, when Chelsea’s hierarchy dismissed Maresca mid-season, Fernandez did not hide his frustration.
"I don't understand it," he told Mexican network "TUDN". "Sometimes there are things we don't understand as players, and how and in what way they try to manage matters."
It was a rare, pointed glimpse behind the curtain. Fernandez spoke of a dressing room stunned by the timing.
"Clearly it was a departure that hurt us a lot, especially in the middle of the season, as it cuts everything off suddenly," he said. "We had an identity. He gave us a system, although according to the nature of football, things are sometimes good and sometimes bad. But he always had a very clear identity when it came to training and playing."
Now that identity could be rebuilt in Manchester, this time with City’s resources and ambitions behind it.
Silence at Chelsea, movement at City
On Chelsea’s side, the mood is very different: tight-lipped, controlled, and increasingly resigned.
Xabi Alonso, now in charge at Stamford Bridge, left Fernandez out of the squad for Sunday’s clash with Brighton. The omission only fuelled speculation that negotiations were well advanced, but Alonso refused to be drawn.
Asked if the World Cup winner had already played his final game for the club, he kept his answer carefully balanced.
"We'll see. We want what's best for the team, which is why we made the decision against Luton and today, and anything that happens before Tuesday evening, we need to be aware of how things will develop."
He offered no guarantees, only the reassurance that Chelsea would adapt.
"We're not sure, we're preparing for all scenarios, but I'm certain that whatever happens from Wednesday, we'll have a good enough squad to compete in all the Premier League matches."
The message was clear: Chelsea will move on, with or without Fernandez.
Medical on standby
On the other side of the deal, the machinery is already in motion. Respected journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has confirmed that City have reached an initial agreement with Chelsea, a key step that pushes the transfer towards the finish line.
Fernandez now waits for the final green light to travel for his medical, the last major hurdle before he can officially switch blue for blue.
If the paperwork lands in time and the medical goes to plan, City will add a World Cup-winning midfielder in his prime, reunited with a coach he trusts, and dropped straight into a squad expected to contest every major trophy.
If the clock beats them, the picture changes for everyone: for City’s midfield plans, for Chelsea’s balance, and for a player who has already made it clear where he feels most understood.
All that remains is the countdown.
