Chelsea set Fernandez price tag with one factor blocking Man City deal

Chelsea will demand a British record fee to sell Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City.

City are determined to sign the Chelsea midfielder before Tuesday’s transfer deadline and Fernandez is keen for a reunion with Enzo Maresca. But Chelsea want more than the original £120million price on Fernandez’s head and any deal will certainly have to be a record fee.

The likelihood is they will ask for a fee of around £130m and, despite City and Fernandez hopeful a deal gets done, Chelsea also want to bring in replacements.

There is a strong degree of optimism that it can happen - but Fernandez is now poised to be the biggest deal in this window. City spent £116m on Elliot Anderson and then Chelsea broke that record with a £117m deal for Morgan Rogers.

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Arsenal have got Julian Alvarez in their sights for over £120m but Fernandez would beat that. Argentina’s World Cup winner joined Chelsea for £106m in January 2023 and flirted with Real Madrid last season before the Spanish giants insisted they were not interested.

Fernandez has already become public enemy No1 with rival fans but is keen on joining up again with Maresca at City after enjoying great success with him during his time at Chelsea, winning a European trophy, the Club World Cup and getting back into the Champions League.

But the deal is clearly a complicated one with time running out for Chelsea to get replacements.

Chelsea identified Alex Scott as their No1 option but Bournemouth have insisted they will not sell. There have been links with Martin Zubimendi but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he cannot leave.

Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga is another target while Chelsea are on the brink of a deal for Emiliano Martinez and they are still in the market for a defender.