LONDON.- “I didn’t doubt it for a second,” said the Argentine. Enzo Fernandez about the moment in which Manchester City contacted him, in his first interview since joining the club in a transfer that equals the British record, 125 million pounds ($169 million).
Fernández completed his signing for City from Chelsea on Tuesday, on the last day of the transfer market, bringing the spending of the northern club England to more than 450 million pounds ($607 million), a record for the Premier League for a single transfer window.
The 25-year-old had joined Chelsea since Benfica in January 2023 for a figure that was then a record in British football, 107 million pounds ($144 million).
His arrival at the Etihad equals the 125 million pounds that the Liverpool paid for the swedish Alexander Isaac last year.
Fernández, expelled in the defeat of Argentina 1-0 against Spain in the final of World In July, he had been rumored as a possible signing of real Madrid a few months ago.
At City he will be a key piece of their renewed midfield alongside the Englishman Elliot Andersonwhich arrived from Nottingham Forest for 116 million pounds in July.
Fernández, who has signed a five-year contract, stated that he “always” had the ambition to “be in a club as big as City”, in statements collected by the club.
“To be honest, from the first day they trusted me and called me to tell me that they wanted me to come to the club, I didn’t doubt it for a second,” he added.
“It is a club that has won a lot in recent years. It is a club that is making history in football and, for me, it is an enormous challenge,” he continued.
Enzo Maresca trains City after the departure of Pep Guardiola and has led a major reconstruction after the notorious departures of Rodri, John Stones and Bernardo Silva.
An “incredible” team
Fernández, who won the World with Argentina in 2022, said City are building an “incredible” team.
He added that he is looking forward to working with Maresca again, who had already coached him at Chelsea.
“He’s a top coach, honestly,” he said. “I had him in my previous club. They were incredible moments. I learned a lot from him. He is very similar to Latin people, very passionate.”
“So it is a pleasure to work with him. I am also grateful because he was very important in bringing me here. So it is a huge pleasure for me to work alongside him and enjoy it,” he concluded.
