Manchester City plans formal bid for Enzo Fernández before transfer window closes

Manchester City are preparing to make a formal offer for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández before the Premier League’s summer transfer window slams shut on September 1, setting up one of the most consequential intra-league deals in recent memory. The pursuit continues even after City failed to meet a self-imposed deadline Chelsea had set around August 14-15 for bids of £120m. That deadline has come and gone without a qualifying offer. But City’s interest, according to journalist David Ornstein, remains very much “live.” A deadline missed, but not a deal dead Chelsea’s position has been consistent: bring £120m to the table, or the 25-year-old Argentine stays put for the 2026/27 season. That figure, roughly $161m-$163m at current exchange rates, would make Fernández one of the most expensive transfers in football history for the second time in his career. When he moved from Benfica to Chelsea on January 31, 2023, the fee was €121m, or approximately £106.8m. That was a British record at the time. Now Chelsea want even more than they paid. City is still working to put together a package that could test Chelsea’s resolve before the window closes at 11pm BST on September 1. Why City want...