Too late: Chelsea punish City in the Enzo Fernández deal | Goal.com
Manchester City face the risk of having to pay more than £120 million to Chelsea in order to sign Enzo Fernandez, if the Citizens attempt to acquire him during the final two weeks of the transfer window.
According to the British newspaper the Telegraph, Chelsea remain optimistic about reintegrating Fernandez into the squad despite the boos from some fans, provided Manchester City do not pursue their interest or table a bid big enough to test the London club's resolve to keep him.
City failed to meet Chelsea's deadline for written offers worth £120 million. That leaves the Citizens needing to thrash out a fresh agreement to convince Chelsea to sell the midfielder, with little time left to cover his departure.
Talks over a move for Ayoub Bouaddi are progressing well. But Enzo Maresca, the new manager, is a big admirer of Fernandez, and it remains unclear whether wrapping up the Moroccan's deal will cool the club's interest in the Argentine.
Rodri has gone to Barcelona, Tijjani Reijnders has left too, and Savinho could follow them out. A hectic end to the window awaits Manchester City.
Chelsea plan to sign a replacement should Fernandez leave this summer, and that intention stands. The Blues have already sounded out Alex Scott, though Bournemouth insist the player is not for sale.
Offloading Fernandez in the final fortnight would make replacing him even harder. It would also force the club to stump up bigger fees for one of their targets.
City, then, must pay more than £120 million, or put together a deal on terms kinder to Chelsea than those previously offered to other clubs, to prise open negotiations.
Fernandez came off the bench in the last pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad at the weekend, only to be booed by some fans.
Nobody close to the club was shocked. They had expected a split reaction to Fernandez, given the links with a move away, his part in Argentina's World Cup win at England's expense, and the celebrations that followed his equalising goal.
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