Deadline Day Drama: Man City Land Enzo Fernández in Stunning £125m Transfer

The 2026 summer transfer window came to a dramatic end on Tuesday night, with Manchester City stealing the headlines by completing the signing of Enzo Fernández from Chelsea. The deal was confirmed late on deadline day after hours of uncertainty and became the biggest story of a busy final day across the Premier League.

City paid £125 million for the Argentine midfielder, matching the British transfer record. The fee is the same amount Liverpool paid Newcastle United for Alexander Isak last summer. Fernandez has signed a five-year contract with Manchester City and will now begin a new chapter at the Etihad Stadium.

The transfer also gives Fernández a unique place in football history. He becomes the first player to move for more than £100 million twice. Chelsea signed him from Benfica for around £106 million in January 2023, shortly after he helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup.

Fernández's move to City had been one of the major stories of the summer, but there were doubts over whether the transfer would actually happen. City remained interested throughout August, while Chelsea were reportedly looking for a huge fee to allow one of their most important midfielders to leave. Eventually, the two clubs reached an agreement on deadline day.

The final hours were still full of tension. Fernández had completed his medical, but the official announcement did not arrive until after the 11 p.m. transfer deadline. The necessary paperwork had been submitted in time, allowing City to complete the deal shortly afterwards.

The move also reunites Fernández with Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca. The pair previously worked together at Chelsea, and Maresca was reportedly keen to bring the midfielder to Manchester. City have rebuilt their midfield significantly this summer following the departure of several important players, including Rodri.

Fernández arrives after an impressive 2025-26 season in which he scored 15 goals and provided seven assists. He also played an important role for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, where the defending champions reached the final before losing to Spain.

City were not finished with Fernández. They also completed the signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Everton in a deal worth up to £65 million. The two transfers meant City committed around £190 million on deadline day alone, showing their determination to strengthen the squad after finishing behind Arsenal in last season's Premier League title race.

Elsewhere, Tottenham were also active. Spurs signed Mykhailo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea and added defender Tosin Adarabioyo. Jack Grealish returned to Everton on loan from Manchester City, while Sunderland completed a £31 million move for Lyon winger Malick Fofana. Crystal Palace, Fulham, Brighton, Leeds and Hull City were among the other clubs completing late business.

Not every deadline-day story ended with a signing. Chelsea's attempt to bring in Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara collapsed despite their efforts to find a replacement for Fernández. Everton also failed to complete a proposed move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun.

Premier League clubs spent around £3.3 billion during another extraordinary summer window. However, when the deadline finally arrived, one transfer stood above the rest. Enzo Fernández is now a Manchester City player, and one of the biggest moves of the summer was saved for the final hours.