Manchester City remain interested in Enzo Fernández despite missing Chelsea’s deadline to make a £120million bid. If City still want him, I think Chelsea should change the terms. The new price? £150million.
Deadlines are supposed to mean something.
Chelsea reportedly told Manchester City that if they wanted to sign Enzo Fernández this summer, they had until 5pm last Friday to make their move.
Chelsea valued him at £120million.
The deadline arrived.
The deadline passed.
Manchester City didn’t bid.
Yet here we are, with City still interested and potentially considering whether to make a move before the transfer window closes.
So if they do come back, I think Chelsea should be cheeky.
£150million, please.
City had their chance at £120million
Let’s get something straight from the start.
I don’t think Enzo Fernández is a £150million footballer.
If Manchester City had offered the £120million Chelsea wanted before the deadline, I would have accepted it.
That’s an enormous amount of money for any midfielder.
Chelsea paid around £107million to bring Fernández to Stamford Bridge from Benfica in January 2023, and he still has six years remaining on his contract.
That puts Chelsea in a very strong position.
They don’t need to sell him.
They aren’t approaching the final year of his contract desperately trying to avoid losing him for nothing.
Chelsea set their conditions.
Manchester City knew them.
They decided not to meet them.
That’s fine.
But you can’t miss the deadline and then expect exactly the same deal afterwards.
If City suddenly decide they need Fernández with less time remaining in the transfer window, that’s now Chelsea’s inconvenience.
Less time to potentially replace him.
Less time to adjust the squad.
Less time for Xabi Alonso to prepare for the season knowing exactly which players he has available.
So the price goes up.
Call it a late fee.
Would I sell to Manchester City?
Absolutely — if they’re willing to pay the money.
I know some Chelsea supporters will completely disagree with me on this.
Why would you sell one of your best players to a direct rival?
It’s a fair argument, particularly when I’ve just predicted Chelsea to win the Premier League and Manchester City to finish outside the top four this season.
But I don’t think you turn down £120million or potentially even more simply because the buyer happens to be City.
Every player has a price.
If another club wants to pay significantly above what I believe that player is worth, I’m listening.
Would Enzo strengthen Manchester City?
Of course he would.
He’s an excellent midfielder.
But would selling him suddenly destroy Chelsea’s title chances while turning City into guaranteed champions?
I don’t think it would.
Enzo is a very talented footballer
I don’t want my willingness to sell Fernández to be confused with believing he isn’t good enough.
He’s clearly a very talented player.
He won the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar in 2022 and was named the tournament’s best young player.
This summer he helped Argentina reach another World Cup final, including scoring that dramatic equaliser against England in the semi-final before Argentina completed the comeback to win 2-1.
You don’t play such an important role for Argentina across consecutive World Cups without being a seriously good footballer.
When he’s at his best, Fernández can control games, progress the ball and create opportunities from midfield.
He’s technically gifted.
He can pick a pass.
He has experience of football at the very highest level.
My argument isn’t that Chelsea should desperately try to get rid of him.
It’s that I don’t think he’s irreplaceable.
There’s a big difference.
Chelsea have other options
Look through Chelsea’s squad and there are different ways Alonso could reshape the midfield without Fernández.
Roméo Lavia can operate deeper.
Reece James has shown he’s capable of moving into midfield.
Jordan Henderson brings huge experience.
Morgan Rogers can operate centrally.
Cole Palmer can play in more advanced central positions.
They aren’t all direct, like-for-like Enzo Fernández replacements — and I’m not suggesting you simply swap one name for another and nothing changes.
Chelsea might have to alter the way they play.
They might decide to use some of the transfer fee to bring another midfielder in.
But that’s the point.
If somebody gives Chelsea £120million-plus, they suddenly have an enormous amount of flexibility.
And personally, there are other areas of this squad I’d rather see that money used on.
I’ve already made my feelings about the goalkeeping situation clear.
I’d rather Chelsea use some of that money to find an elite goalkeeper than reject a massive offer for a midfielder we have enough quality to cope without.
My issue isn’t entirely about football
There’s another reason I’m not desperate for Chelsea to keep Fernández at all costs.
I’m not a huge fan of some of the things we’ve seen away from the football itself.
Earlier this year, Fernández spoke publicly about Madrid and said he would like to live there while speculation was circulating about a potential move to Real Madrid.
Everybody could see what direction those comments appeared to be pointing in.
Chelsea subsequently left him out for two games and Fernández and his representatives apologised.
Then came the slightly awkward part.
Real Madrid publicly ruled out trying to sign him.
That’s not a great look.
If you’re contracted to Chelsea for years to come, I’d rather hear you talking about wanting to be successful at Chelsea than publicly discussing how much you’d like living somewhere that happens to be home to another enormous European club.
There have been other controversies
There was also the incident following Argentina’s Copa América triumph in 2024.
Fernández posted a video from Argentina’s celebrations which contained a racist and discriminatory chant aimed at French players.
He subsequently apologised, while Chelsea began an internal disciplinary procedure.
It was a serious incident and understandably attracted considerable criticism.
Then came this summer’s World Cup and Argentina’s semi-final against England.
Again, I have absolutely no problem with Fernández scoring against England.
He’s Argentinian.
He scored a huge equaliser in a World Cup semi-final and his country went on to win the match.
Celebrate it.
Go mad.
That’s football.
What I didn’t like was what happened during Argentina’s post-match celebrations.
Members of the Argentina squad displayed a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” — “The Falklands are Argentine.”
The message refers to Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory and the subject of the 1982 Falklands War.
Fernández was among Argentine players pictured during the celebrations surrounding the banner.
For me, bringing that into a football celebration crossed a line.
England and Argentina have a fantastic football rivalry.
There is history.
There is needle.
There is plenty of opportunity for winding each other up.
I’m completely comfortable with that.
But the Falklands are something different.
Hundreds of people died in that conflict.
Whatever somebody’s politics or nationality, I don’t think something with that history needed to become part of celebrating a World Cup football match.
I’m also not going to unfairly claim Fernández personally organised the banner or was solely responsible for it — he wasn’t.
It was an Argentina team celebration and several players were involved.
But combined with the previous controversies and his Madrid comments, it contributes to why I don’t feel the same attachment to Fernández that I might feel towards another player of his ability.
If he stays, I’ll support him when he pulls on a Chelsea shirt.
If somebody offers £120million-plus?
I’m not chaining him to the gates of Stamford Bridge.
Player power works both ways
We spoke recently about player power when Rodri decided he wanted to leave Manchester City for Barcelona.
Modern football clubs find it incredibly difficult to retain players who have genuinely decided they want to be elsewhere.
I believe the same principle applies here.
If Fernández is happy at Chelsea, brilliant.
Keep training.
Play well.
Help Chelsea challenge for trophies.
There’s no need for the club to actively push him out.
But if he wants Manchester City, Real Madrid or somewhere else?
Then tell Chelsea.
And bring a club prepared to pay Chelsea’s valuation with you.
Chelsea shouldn’t be intimidated into accepting a lesser deal simply because a player might fancy a move.
Would Enzo change Manchester City’s season?
Not enough to change my prediction.
I’ve put Manchester City fifth in my Premier League predictions this season and I’m sticking with it.
Their problems are bigger than one midfielder.
Pep Guardiola has gone.
Rodri has gone.
Several hugely experienced players from their most successful era have departed.
It’s a major transition.
Enzo Fernández would improve their squad, unquestionably, but he doesn’t instantly recreate the Manchester City side that dominated English football under Guardiola.
Likewise, losing Fernández wouldn’t suddenly make me abandon my prediction that Chelsea can win the league.
Chelsea have recruited well.
They have options.
They only have domestic football to concentrate on.
And they have a manager in Xabi Alonso who now has the opportunity to mould the squad around his ideas.
One transfer doesn’t change my entire view of either club.
Chelsea hold all the cards
That’s ultimately why I don’t think this needs to become complicated.
Manchester City had the opportunity to sign Fernández for Chelsea’s £120million valuation.
They didn’t take it.
Chelsea now expect him to remain at Stamford Bridge.
Fine.
I’d be perfectly happy for that to happen.
But if City ring again before the window closes?
I’m answering the phone.
“Still interested in Enzo?”
Yes.
“Excellent. The price is now £150million.”
They can pay it or walk away.
Either outcome works for Chelsea.
If City say no, Alonso keeps an extremely talented World Cup-winning midfielder.
If City say yes, Chelsea receive an extraordinary fee for a player I believe the squad is capable of replacing.
That’s what being in a strong negotiating position looks like.
Manchester City missed the deadline.
If they still want Enzo Fernández, make them pay for it.
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Sources used for fact-checking: Sky Sports, Reuters and reporting covering the 2026 World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina. All opinions expressed in this article are my own.