Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca has opened up on the thinking behind one of the most eye-catching deals of the summer transfer window. He revealed that he was the driving force behind the club’s British record-equalling £125m swoop for Enzo Fernández.
The Argentina international completed his move from Chelsea in the closing minutes of deadline day, reuniting with the manager who worked with him at Stamford Bridge.
Explaining his insistence on bringing the World Cup winner to City, Maresca made clear that his admiration for Fernández goes beyond ability alone.
“I know Enzo [Fernandez] quite well, I know what he can bring to the team. He’s a winner, has a winning mentality, he knows how to win – World Cup, Club World Cup. And the main thing is that he’s a winner!” Maresca said per City Xtra
Squad ‘buzzing’ at Fernández’s arrival, says Maresca
According to the City boss, it was not only the coaching staff pushing for the deal – several members of his own squad were desperate to see it happen too, keen to add another serial winner to the dressing room.
“He’s a winner, and when you belong to a squad and another winning player arrives, they’re always happy! I can promise you in the last four or five days, four or five players were asking if he’s coming or not, because they wanted him with us!
“It’s very important he’s with us and we’re 100% happy with that!” Maresca added.
Fernández is highly regarded within the City camp, even before he has kicked a ball for his new club. The 25-year-old already boasts a decorated CV, having won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, as well as the UEFA Conference League and an expanded FIFA Club World Cup during his time at Chelsea.
City moved decisively to get the deal over the line after Chelsea had originally set their own deadline of 14 August for offers. That deadline passed without a bid materialising, but City stepped up their pursuit in the final 48 hours of the window, eventually agreeing a fee understood to net Chelsea around £18m in profit on the £107m they paid Benfica for the midfielder back in 2023.
The transfer matches the British record fee, level with the £125m Liverpool paid Newcastle United for striker Alexander Isak last summer, and comes as part of a significant overhaul of City’s midfield following the sale of Rodri to Barcelona and departures including Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders.
Fernández has already spoken of his delight at the move, telling the club’s website he had “always dreamed of being at a club as big as” Manchester City, and that he felt it was “a very emotional moment” for him and his family.
The deal represents an early statement of intent in Maresca’s first summer in sole charge at the Etihad, having stepped up from Guardiola’s backroom staff – and later spells at Leicester City and Chelsea – to take on one of the biggest jobs in English football.
With Fernández now set to line up alongside new arrival Elliot Anderson and the highly rated Ayyoub Bouaddi in a rebuilt central midfield, City’s squad appears to share their manager’s belief that the club has strengthened significantly in an area that was a clear priority following Rodri’s exit.
