Manchester City Players Wanted Enzo Fernandez Signing, Maresca Reveals

Several Manchester City players were eager to see Enzo Fernandez join the club and repeatedly asked about the transfer during the final days of the summer window, manager Enzo Maresca has revealed.

Fernandez completed a British-record £125 million move from Chelsea to Manchester City on deadline day, reuniting with Maresca, who previously coached the Argentina international at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca said Fernandez is ready to make his Manchester City debut against newly promoted Coventry City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, adding that he knows exactly what the midfielder can bring to the team.

“I know Enzo quite well and I know what he can bring to the team,” Maresca said. He described Fernandez as a “winner” with a winning mentality, pointing to his World Cup and Club World Cup successes.

The City manager, who previously made Fernandez captain at Chelsea, said the midfielder’s arrival generated excitement within the squad. He revealed that four or five City players had contacted him in the final days of the window to ask whether Fernandez was joining.

“I can promise you that in the last four or five days four or five players from the squad were asking if he is coming or not because they want him to be with us,” Maresca said.

Fernandez, 25, said in an in-house interview that he had always dreamed of playing for a club as big as Manchester City, comments that were interpreted by some as a criticism of his former club, Chelsea. He had reportedly wanted to leave Stamford Bridge since the beginning of the year despite discussions with Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso.

Alonso acknowledged Fernandez’s departure while praising his contribution to Chelsea. “What he has done for the club has been great, but now it’s time to move forward,” he said, adding that Chelsea had enough quality in the squad to continue.

Manchester City spent a club-record £458 million during the transfer window, including £327 million on midfielders Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi. The club also brought in wingers Iliman Ndiaye and Allan and goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, while generating more than £300 million from player sales.

Maresca praised City’s ownership and sporting hierarchy for completing the club’s transfer business, saying the arrival of Fernandez and Ndiaye means the squad is now complete and the focus can shift entirely to work on the pitch.