Manchester City Will Not Meet Chelsea’s Deadline to Sign Enzo Fernández, Confirms Enzo Maresca

Manchester City caretaker manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that the club will not meet Chelsea’s 5pm Friday deadline to complete the transfer of midfielder Enzo Fernández. Chelsea had set a firm cut-off for bids at that time, valuing Fernández at around £120 million. Despite interest in the player, City is not expected to submit an offer by the deadline.

Maresca is preparing to lead Manchester City in a major match for the first time this Sunday, when they face Arsenal in the Community Shield at Cardiff. He acknowledged that the squad is far from finalised ahead of the new Premier League season, with ongoing transfer activity shaping the team’s composition. Fernández remains a player of interest, especially given Maresca’s previous working relationship with him at Chelsea, but City is focusing on alternative targets.

Among those targets is the promising 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, who is close to joining Manchester City. This indicates the club’s strategy to invest in emerging talent while balancing immediate squad needs. Although Fernández would have represented a significant addition to City’s midfield, the club appears to be taking a measured approach in this transfer window, weighing the cost and timing carefully.

With the Community Shield match approaching, Maresca’s immediate priority is preparing the team amid ongoing transfer activities. The developments in the transfer window could still influence the squad composition in the coming weeks, but the deadline set by Chelsea for Fernández’s transfer will not be met.

Looking ahead, Manchester City will continue to focus on finalising deals for young prospects and assessing squad depth as the Premier League season draws near. Meanwhile, Chelsea must decide whether to maintain their valuation of Fernández or reconsider their stance after the deadline passes.

For further information, see the original report on theguardian.com.