Enzo Fernandez risks Chelsea fans’ anger with ‘dream’ claim after £125m Man City switch

Enzo Fernandez has risked the anger of Chelsea supporters by describing his move to Manchester City as the realisation of a long-held dream to join a club “as big” as the Premier League champions, while carefully referring to his former employers only as his “previous club.” The Argentine midfielder completed a £125 million transfer to the Etihad on deadline day, a fee that matched the British record set last summer when Liverpool signed Alexander Isak from Newcastle.

The deal marks the end of Fernandez’s time at Stamford Bridge and the beginning of a new chapter under manager Enzo Maresca, the same coach who previously worked with him at Chelsea. Both men have notably avoided naming the west London club in their public comments since the move was finalised. Maresca had earlier described Chelsea as a “different club” after taking the City job. Fernandez followed a similar path in his first remarks as a City player.

Fernandez’s comments came shortly after he attempted to address Chelsea fans directly on social media. In a message posted before the transfer was completed, he explained that he had not been in a “good place” and that difficult decisions sometimes had to be made. “Life is about making decisions, and right now I find myself having to make one of those difficult decisions,” he wrote. “I’ve said it before, but I want to say it again: I have grown incredibly fond of this club. Chelsea will always have a place in my thoughts and, above all, in my heart. But I also understand how football works. I know how passionate you are, because I am the same. And if I were in your position, I would probably be thinking the same way.”

Despite those sentiments, the midfielder’s first public statements after joining City focused firmly on the size and ambition of his new club. “I’m really happy to be here,” Fernandez said. “I always dreamed of being at a club as big as City. I’m grateful for the opportunity. It’s a very emotional moment for me and my family, to take this step at 25 years old, in a football career that I always dreamed of. I’m so happy to be here, enjoying these first few hours I’ve had at the club. I can already see just how big it is and, we will enjoy ourselves and win lots of things together.”

He went further, setting out the expectations that come with wearing the sky-blue shirt. “Manchester City have to win every trophy they compete for,” he said. “In every competition we play in, we have to compete and win, because this club’s history demands that. To be honest, from the first day they believed in me and called me to say they wanted me to join the club, I didn’t hesitate for a second.”

The transfer had been complicated by earlier friction between Fernandez and sections of the Chelsea support. Last season he had angered fans by appearing to flirt with a move to Real Madrid, a situation that led to him being suspended by the club for two matches. That episode left residual tension that the deadline-day departure and subsequent comments have done little to ease.

Fernandez also spoke about the prospect of working again with Maresca, describing the reunion as a significant factor in his decision. “He is a top manager, honestly, I had him at my previous club,” he said. “They were incredible moments. I learned so much with him. I’m also grateful because he was very important in bringing me here. So it’s a huge pleasure for me to work alongside him and enjoy it. To be honest, we were both very eager for it to happen, because it wasn’t easy for me to be here today. But I know he also made a big effort, speaking to the club, and I’m grateful that he did that. It was a long few days, but in the end I’m here and I’m very happy to be joining this club.”

The careful choice of language — referring to Chelsea only as the “previous club” — mirrors Maresca’s earlier approach and has been noted by supporters still processing the departure of a player who arrived at Stamford Bridge with considerable fanfare. Fernandez’s insistence that he had always dreamed of playing for a club the size of Manchester City is likely to be interpreted by some as an implicit ranking of the two teams, even if the midfielder did not make that comparison explicit.

At 25, Fernandez is still in the early stages of what he hopes will be a lengthy and successful career at the highest level. The move to City represents a significant step up in terms of consistent trophy contention, something he acknowledged when outlining the club’s demands. City’s recent history of domestic and European success sets a clear standard, and the new signing made plain that he understands the requirement to compete for every available honour.

The transfer itself was completed in the final hours of the window, underlining the intensity of the negotiations and the determination of both clubs to finalise the deal. Matching the British record fee paid for Isak underlined the scale of the investment City were prepared to make. For Chelsea, the sale of a key midfielder on deadline day forms part of a wider squad reshaping that has characterised recent seasons.

Fernandez’s social media message to Chelsea fans attempted to strike a note of gratitude and understanding. He acknowledged the passion of the supporters and accepted that many would feel disappointed or angry. Yet the subsequent interviews, in which Chelsea was left unnamed and City was framed as the fulfilment of a long-held ambition, have shifted the focus firmly towards the next chapter.

The reunion with Maresca adds a personal dimension to the move. The Italian coach’s influence was described as decisive, both in the playing relationship they previously shared and in the efforts made to bring the midfielder to the Etihad. Fernandez’s repeated expressions of gratitude towards his new manager suggest that continuity of coaching style and mutual trust played a meaningful role in overcoming the practical difficulties of the transfer.

As Fernandez begins life at Manchester City, the reaction among Chelsea supporters remains a live issue. The combination of the record fee, the earlier Real Madrid speculation, the suspension, and now the careful wording around the club’s name has created a complex backdrop to his departure. Whether the midfielder’s stated affection for Chelsea will soften the response is something only time and results will reveal.

For the moment, Fernandez has made his position clear. He is happy to be at City, views the club as the realisation of a career dream, and is eager to work again under Maresca. The language he has chosen, and the language he has avoided, will form part of the story of how one of the Premier League’s most expensive midfielders moved from one club to another on deadline day.