Chelsea spent over £100m to sign Fernandez from Benfica in 2023 and the Argentine has been a mainstay in the team ever since.
But Fernandez’s desire to leave became apparent last season when he repeatedly flirted with Real Madrid while refusing to commit his long-term future to Chelsea.
The 25-year-old, who won the World Cup in 2022 before being sent off in this summer’s final, was dreaming of a move to the Bernabeu but a deal failed to materialise. Man City have continued to show interest, however, with Pep Guardiola’s replacement Enzo Maresca keen to reunite with a player he managed at Chelsea. 
City missed the deadline Chelsea set to buy Fernandez for £120m but talks have continued in the past week despite their £86m move for Ayyoub Bouaddi.
