Chelsea have put a clock on Man City’s pursuit of Enzo Fernández, with the Blues now submitting an opening bid.
If City want the Argentina midfielder, they must make their move by 5pm on Friday. After that, Chelsea plan to close the door and keep him for the season.
The message is designed to prevent another major piece of Xabi Alonso’s squad being pulled away with little time to find a replacement.
Chelsea have placed a £120 million valuation on Fernandez, who remains tied to Stamford Bridge until 2032. That contract gives them control, while the size of the fee reflects both his importance and the difficulty of replacing him.
City’s interest has developed alongside Barcelona’s push to sign Rodri.
Barcelona have already had two offers rejected for the Spain international, with their latest proposal falling short of City’s valuation. Rodri is reportedly keen on the move, forcing City to consider how their midfield would look without him.
They have already broken their transfer record to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and have been working on an expensive deal for Morocco sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Fernandez would still offer something different.
The 25-year-old can dictate possession, break lines with his passing and arrive late around the penalty area. Fernandez bagged 10 goals and four assists from 36 Premier League appearances last season, comfortably his most productive league campaign in England.
Enzo Maresca knows those qualities better than most.
The City boss worked with Fernandez at Chelsea and helped give him greater freedom to influence games further forward. Their existing relationship is one reason the Argentine has emerged as such an attractive option.
He remains part of Alonso’s plans and previous reporting has indicated that the midfielder was happy in London. A transfer would only become realistic if an offer satisfied the club and persuaded the player.
Now, reliable Argentine journalist Cesar Luis Merlo has delivered the biggest update of the saga so far.
Man City submit huge first Enzo Fernández bid ahead of Chelsea deadline
The South American claims City have now offered around £102.5 million for Fernandez. It is an enormous amount, but still around £17.5 million below Chelsea’s reported asking price.
The structure will also matter.
Chelsea will want to know how much is guaranteed, when the money would be paid and whether any bonuses are realistically achievable. Until those details emerge, the headline figure cannot be treated as anywhere near a complete agreement.
Merlo’s claim has not yet been confirmed by either club, so Chelsea’s response remains unknown.
However, the offer shows that City’s interest is beginning to move, and with Friday’s deadline approaching, Chelsea have made their terms clear.
City have limited time to improve the package if it is indeed rejected, while the Blues must decide whether to hold firm or negotiate over one of the largest offers in their history.
This saga finally has a bid, but it does not yet have a deal.
