Chelsea have made their position clear to Manchester City over the future of Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine World Cup winner’s proposed transfer to the Etihad Stadium hinging on the Cityzens meeting the Blues’ valuation, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

City have turned their attention to Fernandez as they push through a summer overhaul of Pep Guardiola’s midfield, with Rodri’s protracted move to Barcelona reportedly entering its “final stages.”

Manager Enzo Maresca, who left Stamford Bridge to take charge at City this summer, is understood to have long admired his former captain. The Italian is said to have pushed for a reunion even before speculation over Rodri’s future intensified following the World Cup.

Chelsea’s stance unmoved despite City approach

Romano revealed that representatives of Fernandez’s camp have already been in contact with City.

Discussions between the midfielder’s agent, Javier Pastore, and City took place over the past few days, with City using the opportunity to underline just how highly Maresca rates his former player.

Despite that interest, Chelsea are said to be entirely unbothered by the speculation.

The west London club regard any unrest around Fernandez as originating from the player’s camp rather than from the 25-year-old himself, and are ready to keep him regardless of City’s advances.

“They’re more than happy to keep Enzo Fernandez at the club,” Romano said, relaying Chelsea’s mood over a player who arrived from Benfica for a then-British record fee in January 2023.

“I expect City to try again, then we have to see what Chelsea will do and we have to see what the player will do.

“At the moment, Chelsea still send a very clear message: we are in control, we decide and we will be happy to keep Enzo,” Romano told viewers in the latest video on his YouTube channel.

Price remains the key sticking point

Chelsea’s calm is rooted in the numbers. The Blues have set a valuation of around £120m for Fernandez. Reports suggest they are unwilling to negotiate that figure down or accept instalments, effectively presenting City with a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.

Whether a deal can be completed appears to depend entirely on whether City are willing to meet that asking price in full, rather than on any reluctance from Chelsea to sanction a sale.

Maresca’s side have already been busy rebuilding their engine room this summer, having brought in Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and moved closer to a deal for Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, with Fernandez viewed as another piece of that rebuild rather than a replacement for any single departure.

What happens next between the two clubs 

For now, the saga remains delicately poised. Chelsea’s relaxed stance gives them the upper hand, and there is no suggestion from within the club that they are actively looking to sell one of their senior midfielders and a key figure in their leadership group.

Fernandez, contracted at Stamford Bridge until 2032, has previously spoken warmly of his time in west London, even as speculation over his long-term future has periodically resurfaced.

City, meanwhile, appear willing to test Chelsea’s resolve, with Maresca’s endorsement giving the move fresh momentum.

But with the Blues showing no sign of budging on their valuation, any deal is likely to come down to whether City decide the World Cup winner is worth paying full price for — or whether they turn their attention elsewhere in midfield.

As it stands, the ball remains firmly in Manchester City’s court, but on Chelsea’s terms.