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Manchester City sign Fernandez on five-year deal
Simon Peach • September 2nd, 2026 11:38 am
Chelsea are sending Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City for a British record fee | Photo: AP
Manchester City have equalled the British transfer record by signing Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez for £125 million at the end of a dramatic deadline day in the Premier League.
From title contenders to relegation candidates, teams across the division spent big to bolster their squads before the summer window closed at 11pm on Tuesday (Wednesday, 10am NZ time).
City made the biggest splash after following up the signing of Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye for up to £65m by finally reaching an agreement with Chelsea for the unsettled Fernandez.
The Press Association understands the size of the fee for the Argentina international matches that paid by Liverpool to Newcastle for Alexander Isak a year ago and the move reunites him with former Blues boss Enzo Maresca at the Etihad Stadium.
Fernandez has signed a deal until 2031, just like Ndiaye, and Chelsea reportedly saw a deadline day deal to bring in Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara collapse.
A manic summer at Stamford Bridge came to a fitting conclusion on Tuesday, with Tosin Adarabioyo joining Tottenham for £7m after teammate Mykhailo Mudryk moved there on loan with a £75m option.
The Ukraine international recently came back from a 20-month suspension after returning an adverse finding for the banned substance meldonium and will work again with his former Shakhtar Donetsk boss Roberto De Zerbi.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez joined Como on loan, Dario Essugo joined sister club Strasbourg on loan and Marc Guiu signed for RB Leipzig in a £14.5m deal.
Chelsea agreed a deal to sign Honest Ahanor from Atalanta next summer, but the 18-year-old defender will spend this season on loan at Crystal Palace, who completed a late swoop for Ben Chilwell.
Defender Hayden Matthews has joined Bradford City on loan from Portsmouth | Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Bradford City have signed Australian defender Hayden Matthews from Portsmouth on a season-long loan deal.
The 22-year-old centre-back, capped once by the Socceroos, has made 20 appearances for Pompey since signing from Sydney FC in a £1.25m deal in January 2025.
Sunderland have brought in Spurs defender Kevin Danso on loan with an obligation to make the move permanent if certain performance related conditions are met.
Rebuilding Aston Villa signed winger Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris St Germain for a reported club-record £47m and centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis was acquired from Southampton in a deal rising to £30m.
Lille's Matias Fernandez-Pardo made a £51m move to Newcastle, who sent Nick Woltemade on a season-long loan to Juventus who had earlier signed Tottenham's Pape Matar Sarr on an initial loan.
Manchester United failed to reach an agreement with Leicester for teenager Louis Page and a shock deal for left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri did not materialise due to City's demands.
The Red Devils decided to keep forward Joshua Zirkzee amid interest from Everton, who secured the return of Jack Grealish on another season-long loan from Manchester City and made four permanent sales.
Manchester City's England midfielder Jack Grealish is set for return to Everton on loan | Photo: AP
As well as Ndiaye joining City, Beto went to Fiorentina and Nathan Patterson joined Torino before Tim Iroegbunam left for Premier League surprise package Hull.
The Tigers went big on deadline day, signing striker Ilyas Ansah from Union Berlin, Genoa's Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Stoke winger Sorba Thomas for undisclosed fees.
Christos Mouzakitis joined permanently from Olympiacos and Roma's Robinio Vaz arrived in East Yorkshire on loan.
Arsenal sold Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus to Barcelona, while Fabio Vieira joined Hamburg on a permanent deal and Ethan Nwaneri moved on loan to Borussia Dortmund.
Barcelona's new signing from Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus, gestures upon arrival at the city's airport | Photo: EPA
Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott, who endured a nightmare loan spell at Villa Park last term, has joined LaLiga outfit Valencia for the season.
Ipswich signed Zian Flemming from Burnley and Nice's Melvin Bard moved to Leeds, who allowed Willy Gnonto to leave for Fiorentina on loan.
Hugo Larsson and Manuel Angel headed to Fulham, while Brighton sealed a late deal for Stuttgart midfielder Chema Andres.
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