Recent chatter across social media and sports outlets suggested that Enzo Fernandez, the Argentine midfielder, faced a massive drop in followers following his controversial switch from Chelsea to Manchester City. Reports claimed his Instagram following plummeted from 23 million to 15 million. However, a detailed check of analytics reveals this news to be nothing more than fan speculation and exaggeration.
In reality, his follower count has remained stable. Currently, approximately 15.8 to 15.9 million users follow the player. Monitoring statistics from late July up to September 3, 2026, confirms that his numbers have consistently hovered around the 15.5 million mark: in late July, Fernandez had 15.4 million followers, staying between 15.75 and 15.83 million throughout August, even witnessing a slight uptick after the transfer announcement. The claim of 23 million followers was never actual; back in summer 2026, he had about 12.7 million followers before a gradual natural increase.
While it’s true that some Chelsea fans did unfollow the player in protest, a total collapse of numbers did not occur. Many were irked after Fernandez instantly removed all Chelsea references from his profile upon signing a five-year contract worth £125 million with Manchester City, replacing them with new club branding. Fans saw this as a sign that Fernandez's heart was elsewhere long before the deal was sealed.
The transfer itself was mired in a lengthy dispute. Back in April, Chelsea's then manager, Liam Rosenior, suspended Fernandez for two matches due to public comments expressing his desire to leave the club. By mid-August, Chelsea's hierarchy set a deal deadline at £120 million, then lifted it to £135 million, forcing City to temporarily pause negotiations. Ultimately, clubs agreed on £125 million on the last day of the window. City's new boss, Enzo Maresca, was keen on signing Fernandez, having previously worked successfully with him at Stamford Bridge.
Fernandez’s tenure in London was also marred by social media controversies. Following Chelsea's 2024 Copa America win, a video emerged from the team's bus featuring unflattering chants, leading several French teammates to unfollow the Argentine publicly. That incident was ostensibly smoothed over with apologies and charitable donations, but his recent transfer to a rival has seemingly drawn a definitive line under his time in the capital.
