Last summer, the dramatic transfer of Alexander Isak from Newcastle to Liverpool for £125 million captured headlines right up until the deadline. Now, with the transfer window approach closing in, Manchester City, under the helm of Enzo Mareska, is eager to snatch 25-year-old midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea.
The London club has set a firm deadline of £120 million for any offers, expiring on 14 August. However, as history has shown with Isak, such declarations of refusal do not always signal the end of negotiations.
Why the stories of Fernandez and Isak are so similar
- Official refusals amid real willingness to sell: Just as Newcastle claimed Isak wasn’t available until the final moments, insiders report that Chelsea has discreetly enlisted the help of Jorge Mendes to facilitate Fernandez’s move.
- Tension with fans: Isak was training separately at Real Sociedad before his departure, while Fernandez has faced mixed reactions from Chelsea supporters, experiencing both cheers and jeers during a recent friendly against Real Sociedad (3-1).
- A buyer prepared to go the distance: Manchester City are in search of a replacement for Rodri, who recently departed to Barcelona. Acquiring Fernandez, along with Ayub Buadji for £85 million, would bring Mareska’s summer expenditure to a staggering £330 million.
- Reintegration plans merely formalities: just before Isak's departure, Newcastle handed him the captain’s armband, a gesture echoed by Xabi Alonso last weekend when he replaced Reece James with Fernandez.
In Xabi Alonso's 3-4-2-1 setup, the midfield partnership of Moises Caicedo and Reece James is thriving. Even without European competition and potential acquisition of Alex Scott from Bournemouth, the Londoners are solid in that area, making the last two weeks of the transfer window crucial.
