Manchester City has equalled the British transfer fee record by signing midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for 125 million pounds ($169m) on deadline day for European deals.

The 25-year-old Argentina international, a key player in his country's 2026 World Cup final run, had been widely expected to depart Stamford Bridge.

The blockbuster transfer was finalized in the final minutes before the summer transfer window closed at 22:00 GMT on Tuesday. Manchester City announced the deal with a video on X, confirming the fee matches the previous British record set by Liverpool's acquisition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle last summer. Doubts had emerged about the transfer's completion as the deadline approached, despite an initial agreement between the clubs.

Fernandez himself posted a farewell message on Instagram to Chelsea fans, expressing his emotional difficulty with the move. He reflected on his three years at the club, calling Cobham and Stamford Bridge home and stating his obsession with winning trophies for Chelsea. He acknowledged shared moments of suffering, tears, anger, and celebrated titles and victories.

Fernandez was a significant part of Chelsea's successes, including winning the UEFA Conference League in 2025 and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the same year.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, who previously worked with Fernandez at Chelsea, was reportedly a key figure in pushing for the transfer. This move comes after the departures of influential players like World Cup winner Rodri to Barcelona, Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez, and Tijjani Reijnders from City's midfield.

The Argentine midfielder is set to form a new central midfield partnership at City with Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi. The combined cost of these new midfield acquisitions for City is reported to exceed 300 million pounds ($405.4m).

Fernandez's transfer highlights the significant financial power within the Premier League and the ongoing trend of high-value player movements between top clubs. The deal also underscores the strategic rebuilding efforts at Manchester City following several key player departures.