Manchester City complete £125m Enzo Fernandez move as Maresca reveals dressing-room excitement

Enzo Fernandez is ready to make his Manchester City debut after completing a £125m move from Chelsea, with manager Enzo Maresca revealing that several members of the squad repeatedly asked whether the Argentina international would be joining them.

Fernandez, 25, is expected to feature against newly promoted Coventry City in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. His transfer was completed on the final day of the transfer window and represents a joint British-record fee.

Maresca worked with Fernandez at Chelsea and also appointed him captain during his time at Stamford Bridge. Speaking at a news conference, the Manchester City manager said the midfielder would bring a winning mentality shaped by his success with Argentina and at club level.

“I know Enzo very well and I know what he can give to the team,” said Maresca. “He is a winner, he has a winning mentality and he knows how to win after winning the World Cup and the Club World Cup.”

Fernandez said in an exclusive interview published by Manchester City on Thursday that he had always “dreamed of being at a club the size of Manchester City”. Those comments were viewed as a criticism of his former club, Chelsea.

Maresca said the arrival of a player with Fernandez’s character had been welcomed by his new team-mates, with as many as five players seeking updates on the transfer during the final days of the window.

“I just said that he is a winner, and when you belong to a team and another player arrives who has a winning mentality, they are always happy,” he added.

“I can promise you that in the last four or five days, there were four or five players in the team asking whether he was coming or not, because they wanted him to be with us.

“It is very important to have him with us, and we are 100% happy about that.”

Although Maresca had previously made Fernandez captain at Chelsea, he confirmed that Ruben Dias would take the armband at Manchester City. Dias succeeds Bernardo Silva, who left the club in the summer.

Erling Haaland, Marc Guehi and Gianluigi Donnarumma are also part of the club’s leadership group.

Fernandez had been determined to leave Chelsea since the beginning of the year, and talks with Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso this summer failed to change his mind.

“In football, many things happen,” said Alonso. “We had conversations with Enzo and they were always respectful. What he gave to the club was great, but now it is time to move on.”

He added: “We have players with quality in every position, and now we are ready to get started.”

Manchester City spent a club-record £458m on new signings during the transfer window. Of that total, £327m was used to rebuild the midfield, with Fernandez joined by Elliott Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The club also signed wingers Iliman Ndiaye and Alan, as well as reserve goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, for the first-team squad. More than £300m was recovered through player sales.

Maresca praised the club’s hierarchy, including president Khaldoon Al Mubarak and director of football Hugo Viana, for backing the recruitment drive.

“I am very happy with the work done by the board, president Khaldoon Al Mubarak and director of football Hugo Viana. Very happy,” he said.

“In the last few days, Iliman and Enzo arrived, and now the squad is complete and everything is done. Now it is time to work.”