Manchester City agree £125m deal to sign Fernández
Jacob Steinberg
Manchester City have agreed a £125m deal to sign Enzo Fernández from Chelsea, equalling the British transfer record. It is a fixed fee with no add-ons or performance-related clauses.
Key events
As per our post at 19:19, Mammillaria Hahniana wonders where these cowboys would finish in a league.
I think the bones of top end Championship/bottom end Prem. squad could be had there.
West Ham bag a centre-back
Jacob Steinberg
West Ham, who are about to take on Wolves at the London Stadium, have completed the loan signing of Nottingham Forest centre-back Morato.
Are you worried about Forest?
Chris Lyth is:
Forest have let a lot of players go out on loan, are they starting to look a bit thin. Glasner’s football is physically demanding. He wants intensity, running and aggressive pressing. You can’t really do that with all season without a bit of depth.
Got to say, so am I. Ever get a little inkling that a particular team with struggle/do well? I just have a sense that this might be a tricky campaign. But what do I know?
This, from Jason Grear, would make a great pub quiz question:
For all the $$ being thrown all over the place today and every year on transfer fees (which, whatever, clubs can spend what they want):
Lionel Messi’s career transfer fees are $0.
Unreal, actually.
Get a load of these big names who are all free agents:
🏴 Jadon Sancho
🇫🇷 Paul Pogba
🇫🇷 Karim Benzema
🇩🇿 Riya Mahrez
🇪🇸 Dani Carvajal
🏴 Raheem Sterling
🇦🇹 David Alaba
🇲🇱 Yves Bissouma
🇨🇮 Wilfried Zaha
🇧🇷 Philippe Coutinho
🇺🇦 Oleksandr Zinchenko
Look, none of them are spring chickens. But surely there’s a club out there for them? We ca’t be having these guys play in the local Powerleague.
It it better to spend a lot or spend wisely?
£350m on Anderson, Bouaddi, and Fernandez versus £150m on Santos, Tielemans, and Baleba.
Nice to see United being sensible in the market nowadays – makes a nice change
It it sense, Joshua Keeling, or can United no longer attract players who cost a fortune?
How many Enzos could buy a fighter jet?
What?
“The Premier League clubs have now spent upwards of three billion pounds on players this summer. I realize this sounds like a lot, but in today’s world that barely buys you a modern aircraft carrier. Heck, you could only afford ten frigates for that money,” so says Kári Tulinius.
Hope that puts things into perspective.
We really have the best readers.
A couple of you have provided a helping hand.
First AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh:
As I said it before, Aston Villa needed to look at England U-21 defenders. They’re affordable and Aston Villa suit them. Here it is. Former England U-21 captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis is going to Aston Villa. That’s good for England if he is part of Thomas Tuchel’s England plan for the next Euro.
Then PG [just PG]:
Not sure if you’ve seen this yet: Chema Andrés to Brighton – DONE DEAL. Verbal agreement reached with VfB Stuttgart over a transfer for 21 y/o talented midfielder. Up to €23m all-in + sell-on. Chema on his way for medical.
Cheers.
Liverpool sign promising goalkeeper
Andy Hunter
Liverpool have confirmed they have a deal in place to sign Genk’s teenage goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans, with the 18-year-old due to arrive at Anfield next summer for a fee that could rise to £30m with add-ons.
The highly-rated keeper will remain at Genk on loan for the rest of this season. He has agreed a six-year contract with Liverpool, who have signed several young prospects this year as part of a strategy led by Matt Newberry at their global talent team.
St Etienne’s 18-year-old striker Djylian N’Guessan is expected to follow in a £4.3m deal. Brughmans, who impressed Liverpool’s scouts at the Uefa under-17 championship in Albania last summer, could come straight into the club’s first team picture next summer. Alisson is in the final year of his current contract and Giorgi Mamardashvili’s long-term future at Liverpool looks uncertain.
Another loan move from the Premier League to the Championship
Ben Fisher
Zach Abbott has signed a new four-year contract with Nottingham Forest and joined Southampton until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old academy graduate, who joined the club aged 11, made his top-flight debut last season and featured seven times as Forest reached the Europa League semi-finals.
“I had memorable experiences last year that have given me even more hunger to improve and continue my development,” said the defender, who is comfortable at centre-back and right-back.
“Laying out 225m on Bouaddi and Enzo doesn’t speak well to the 117m they spent on the (so far, unconvincing) Anderson. But what’s 350 million on midfielders in one window amongst friends?”
Another head scratcher, this one from Peter Mumola.
Reece James to Man United?
There’s no actual story here, but reader Roger Andrew poses a pretty interesting hypothetical:
As Chelsea seem to be having a massive clearout, I think we’d take a fully-fit Reece James at Old Trafford? Just to help them out?
Can’t see it happening. But I reckon Carrick would love it!
Leeds secure French forward
Ed Aarons
Leeds have agreed a deal with Eintracht Frankfurt to sign Jean-Mattéo Bahoya on an initial loan, with an option to make the France Under-21 forward’s move permanent for around £26m.
Daniel Farke’s side only have a few hours to complete all the paperwork but look to have got their man after missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk when he joined Spurs instead.
Ben Fisher
Coventry have allowed Liam Kitching to join Sheffield United on loan for the season.
The 26-year-old defender was a regular en route to promotion as champions last campaign but has fallen down the pecking order following the arrivals of Aurele Amenda, Ethan Pinnock and Stephen Mfuni.
Kitching has not played a minute of Coventry’s opening two games in the Premier League, both of which ended in defeat. He started Coventry’s 4-2 win over Plymouth in the Carabao Cup and will now bolster Chris Wilder’s ranks in the second tier.
Woltemade completes Juventus move
Louise Taylor
Nick Woltemade is bringing his unique fashion sense to Turin after completing a one year loan from Newcastle to Juventus.
The deal, which involves no obligation to buy, is costing the Serie A club around £3.5m.
Woltemade did not really fit into either Eddie Howe or Matias Jaissle’s high intensity style but the Germany forward – who cost Newcastle a record £69m this time last year – is immensely talented and Tynesiders will wish “Wolte-Wow” well.
Gary Naylor, an Everton fan and a good man, sets me straight on Beto:
Hi Daniel. Beto didn’t score many goals, but some were very important at a time when the club was fragile, tottering even. He is also a decent bloke who felt Everton in his heart and wasn’t afraid to show it. He goes with our best wishes and he’ll always be welcome at Hill Dickinson.
That’s lovely stuff. I hope you speak for all (or at least most) Toffee supporters.
Love this from Philip Midgley-Carver on the potential Fofana deal:
As a Palace fan, if there is a problem with the Sunderland plane then clearly Fofana should get on the Palace plane. Not our fault Sunderland sent a plane which hadn’t passed its MOT (or whatever the equivalent is for planes). Plus, I can assure him that the “Tasty Jerk” chicken place just outside Selhurst is, indeed, very tasty in case culinary options in South London might be the clincher for him.
I’ll get the word out, mate.
“Why do you think no miserable Premier League side has gone for Harvey Elliott? Would be a good fit for a Palace, wouldn’t you think?”
Good question, Kevin Wilson.
My guess is that Liverpool wanted to keep him in case he comes good over the year. A season eating paella on the Mediterranean coast could see an upturn in his performances.
I actually think he’d be a good shout at Villa.
I know this is nothing new, but these numbers really make my skin crawl. How much did that leftback from Uruguay cost?
Well, there’s method to the madness, apparently, as
Humphrey Elles-Hill (an Arsenal fan ‘proud of the club’s prudence) notes:
Hi Daniel. As much as it pains me, is the Blue Co business model starting to work? They seem to have inflated the market’s valuations of players so that they’re now seeing proper profits from wild buys like Enzo and poor performers like Delap?… are we going to see them sell Rodgers for £200m in a few years time, having won the premier league and mastered the Premier league’s flimsy economic structures? They were being written off as maverick charlatans who didn’t understand football not that long ago by this newspaper’s best writers!?
I don’t have them winning the title (still think Arsenal have enough to go back-to-back) but they are contenders, no doubt. Enough for second perhaps?
AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh has some advice for those clubs without serious title aspirations or immediate relegation fears:
Middle table EPL clubs should wait for the winter window. There is nothing wrong with that.
Beto leaves Everton
Andy Hunter
Beto has sealed his £15.5m move from Everton to Fiorentina – the first of potentially four deadline day departures from the club with Iliman Ndiaye, Nathan Patterson and Tim Iroegbunam set to follow. The striker scored 25 goals in 113 appearances for Everton after arriving from Udinese three years ago and leaves with the Merseyside club thanking him for: “his dedication, commitment and service throughout his time at the club.”
Not that it’s a surprise, but the seven highest spenders this transfer window are all English clubs.
Chelsea top the list with €406.7 mil followed by Spurs who parted with €354.7 mil.
Newcastle, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal come next before Real Madrid slot in at 8th.
Ipwsich in 9th place on this list have spent €184 mil for seven players.
Still plenty of time to go though.
For those wondering, Montreal CF are down in 250th spot having spent €3.7 mil.
Louise Taylor
Malik Fofana is still completing his medical in France.
Both Sunderland and Crystal Palace are in a battle for the 21-year-old winger from Lyon valued at £30 million.
But he’s having some technical issues with his plane, apparently, and so has to complete hes medical back in France.
“Sunderland ahead but won’t be fully confident of completing deal until he actually signs,” says Louise Taylor.
Harvey Elliot completes his move to Valencia
Andy Hunter
Confirmation from Liverpool. The midfielder’s latest loan move contains no obligation for the Spanish club to buy next summer.
Daniel Gallan
Cheers Luke. Evening everyone. Here we go then. The clock is ticking. Just five hours to go.
Any bits of business you’d like to see wrapped up for your club? Give me a shout.
That’s the lot from me. Daniel Gallan is here to steer you through the next bit, as the deadline looms ever closer.
Jacob Steinberg
Another Chelsea midfielder is on his way – Dário Essugo is joining Strasbourg on loan.
Everton on course to sign Balogun, Maitland-Niles and Grealish
Andy Hunter
Everton’s medical department has its hands full as the deadline approaches. Folarin Balogun and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are currently having medicals at the club before their proposed moves from Monaco and Lyon respectively. Jack Grealish completed his medical earlier today. The three arrivals – a £40m deal for Balogun, a £4m transfer for Maitland-Niles and another season-long loan for Grealish – remain on track.
Andrew Beasley
The combined gross spend across the Premier League for the summer transfer window went past £3bn with Aston Villa’s earlier purchase of the Senegal winger, Ibrahim Mbaye, from Paris Saint-Germain for £47m.
Cameron Archer, of Southampton, has sealed a loan move to Auxerre in Ligue 1. He will be reunited with the former Saints manager Will Still.
Will Unwin
After all these mainstream stories, I would like to bring to everyone’s attention that Yussif Owusu has joined the Spanish second-tier side Sabadell. The English midfielder started his career at Chelsea before joining Brighton, who released him this summer.
Leeds pursue deal for Bahoya from Eintracht Frankfurt
Ed Aarons
Leeds are in contact with Eintracht Frankfurt over a potential deal for winger Jean-Mattéo Bahoya after missing out to Tottenham for Mykhailo Mudryk. The France Under-21 international has also attracted attention from Everton and Hull, but Daniel Farke’s side have now entered the race, although time is running out. Sunderland have also shown an interest in Bahoya – if they don’t sign Malick Fofana.
Jacob Steinberg
As it stands, interest in Lamine Camara from Monaco is unlikely to be pursued. It’s Chelsea … they have six hours … anything could happen.
“So City have purchased Fernández for £125m which takes their spending, this window, to circa £1gazillion,” emails Derek.
“Not bad for a club (still) embroiled in a dispute with the authorities over alleged financial shenanigans, which has been running longer than Coronation Street.”
Ste also emails: “Just a shame City didn’t go in with a lower offer first, so we could have had a “City’s 115 thrown out!” banter headline … ho hum”
“As a Chelsea fan I have mixed feelings,” emails Aidan of the Fernández deal. “He’s a decent player and we now lack cover in midfield and have precious little time to bring in a decent replacement. That said, we’ve somehow sold him for a profit and despite being decent, I ultimately just never really liked him.”
Scott, meanwhile, writes in: “If I am correct in thinking the Ligue 1 deadline is 7pm [UK time], there is not much time left for Chelsea to get their seemingly preferred replacement.”
It was Alexander Isak, of course, who set the £125m transfer record that this Fernandez deal has matched. Exactly a year ago today.
In more nostalgia-related news, I’m old enough to remember Liverpool paying £35m for Andy Carroll being a show-stopper.
“Absolutely agree with Andrew at 16:31 about the urge to fire up a Footie Management game around this time of year,” emails Nathan. “Would love to know whether it was Multi Player Soccer Manager or International Tracksuit Manager that caught your own attention on the glorious Commodore 64. Things have certainly changed since the days of bidding £650,000 to nab Andy Linighan from the Gunners …”
Jacob Steinberg
Chelsea potentially signing no one: Checks made on Manu Koné (Roma) and Lamina Camara (Monaco) today: but both are deemed too expensive currently.
This is certainly far more exciting than a certain Covid-era deadline-day evening, when Ozan Kabak on loan to Liverpool was the only show in town.
What do you think of Fernández to City? Email us.
Manchester City agree £125m deal to sign Fernández
Jacob Steinberg
Manchester City have agreed a £125m deal to sign Enzo Fernández from Chelsea, equalling the British transfer record. It is a fixed fee with no add-ons or performance-related clauses.
Are Brentford going to sign anyone today? “All quiet on the western front,” says the Sky reporter Uma Gurav.
Gurav does mention the arrival Mamadou Sangaré – which was of course at the beginning of August.
Fofana jetting to Sunderland instead of Palace
Louise Taylor
Two private jets were sitting on the tarmac at Lyon airport this afternoon. One was dispatched by Sunderland, the other by Crystal Palace.
Which one would Malick Fofana board? For a few hours it looked like he would be heading to south London but, instead, the Lyon winger is on Sunderland’s plane that has just taken off, bound for Newcastle airport.
After seemingly being gazumped by Palace’s late attempt to hijack a deal, Sunderland upped their offer, pleasing Lyon, Fofana and his agents and Fofana decided he wanted to play alongside Enzo Le Fée and co at the Stadium of Light after all.
“Enzo Fernandez: overrated,” emails Joshua.
Straight to the point, I like that.
“As a Rodri replacement: subpar, in that he’s a completely different sort of player,” adds Joshua. “But it seems like an odd signing – Chelsea must be laughing their heads off at getting a profit for a 7/10 player they paid £115m for.”
Will Unwin, last week, wrote that Ayoub Bouaddi is the (potential) new Rodri:
Mudryk poised for loan to Tottenham
Roberto De Zerbi is poised to be reunited with a footballing “son” after Tottenham reached an agreement with Chelsea for the loan signing of Mykhailo Mudryk, it is understood. A deal has also been agreed for Tosin Adarabioyo to move to Spurs from Stamford Bridge permanently for a fee understood to be £7m.
Spurs pivoted to Ukraine international Mudryk on Monday after a dramatic finale to a remarkable summer transfer window for the north London club.
After no progress in a pursuit for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, Tottenham reached an agreement in principle with Everton for Iliman Ndiaye on Sunday before Manchester City, having also missed out on Gakpo, hijacked the deal, forcing De Zerbi to turn to Mudryk.
Mudryk returned from a 20-month suspension last month and worked with De Zerbi at Shakhtar Donetsk before a transfer to Chelsea in 2023.
It has been a difficult time for the 25-year-old after he was banned in 2024 by the Football Association due to an “adverse finding” for meldonium. However, Mudryk will aim to rediscover his best form under De Zerbi on a season-long loan that includes a £75m option to buy.
Speaking during Tottenham’s pre-season tour of Australia when Mudryk’s ban ended, De Zerbi said: “He’s my son. I’m very happy. He deserves to play. He’s a cool guy, a top player. Hopefully he can show what he suffered in the last two years in this next season.”
De Zerbi previously backed Mudryk to win the Ballon d’Or, but this transfer does represent a gamble for Spurs. Mudryk has not played for 20 months and joins a host of other players at Tottenham trying to get up to speed quickly after lengthy absences. However, Mudryk has not been sidelined by an injury and did feature in pre-season for Chelsea to increase his fitness levels. Press Association
“Afternoon Luke,” emails Andrew.
“It’s been a few seasons since I’ve bought it, but I usually start getting the old pangs for Football/Champ Manager around this time of the year.
“With all the Transfer Madness™ going on at the moment, I do find myself wondering a few things:
“In the soon-to-be-released 2027 game, how are club finances going to be explained/justified? Are the amounts being casually thrown around in the real world now going to be available in the game? Is it going to make it easier or harder? Is it all just a stupid pointless computer game and I should stop putting so much energy into overthinking it? Will I ever better my all-conquering Alonso Solis-inspired Olympiakos team of 2001-2?
“All questions unlikely to be satisfactorily answered although we can but hope.”
I honestly don’t think I’ve played a football manager game since I had a Commodore 64, so I can’t comment on Football/Champ Manager. Although I did occasionally used to feign illness in order to stay home and play it, so I can still relate. Thanks for the email, I agree that these sums for footballers have essentially become meaningless.
Fernandez ‘increasingly confident’ of City move
Jamie Jackson
Enzo Fernández is increasingly confident he will make the move from Chelsea to Manchester City. The deal is expected to be worth more than £120m. Chelsea continue to try and secure a replacement: Roma’s Manu Koné and Monaco’s Lamine Camara are being targeted.
The Germany defender Antonio Rüdiger has announced his international retirement, two months after last playing for Germany at the 2026 World Cup.
The 33-year-old made 86 appearances for the four-times world champions.
“After some time reflecting, the moment has come for me to end my national team career and clear the way for the young generation,” Rüdiger said in a social media post.
Rudiger made his debut in 2014, a month before Germany won the World Cup, but was not included in the squad for Brazil.
The centre-back said he wanted to focus on his club side Real Madrid, where he is under contract until 2027. (Reuters)
Barry Glendenning
While Football Daily isn’t going to claim to have looked too hard, the earliest mention we could find of Tottenham Hotspur being “in very real danger” of having to play Lincoln City home and away this season dates back to early March. Thomas Frank had been sacked a couple of weeks previously and fabled firefighter Igor Tudor had arrived in north London, only to lose his first two matches. While the weird but mercifully brief fever dream prompted a deluge of further hand-wringing, Spurs eventually avoided the drop thanks to replacing the Croat with Roberto De Zerbi. A more passable version of Red Adair, the Italian masterminded heroic wins over already-relegated Wolves, a Villa side focused entirely on Bigger Vase and an Everton team who had last done anything of interest 31 years previously. Not so much a miraculous escape, as a quite fortunate one aided by the benevolence of the fixture generator, it prompted the club hierarchy to hose cash in all directions, all the better to ensure Spurs never find themselves circling the drain again.
Next up: Barry Glendenning with Football Daily. It’s all happening now.
Azeez should be an excellent buy for Brighton. He’s got the lot: pace, skill and increasingly an excellent end product, be it assists or goals. Answers on a postcard for the other Millwall player that Premier League clubs will no doubt be sniffing around sooner rather than later …