Chelsea have set City a deadline of 5pm UK time on Friday to submit a £120m net bid for Enzo Fernandez, according to David Ornstein.
Ornstein reports that Chelsea have privately communicated the payment terms to City and any other interested clubs, with the 25-year-old midfielder set to remain at Stamford Bridge if the deadline passes without an acceptable offer.
That puts a clear timeframe around what has so far been a developing transfer story involving Manchester City.
City have been linked with Fernández as they assess their midfield options, but there has been no indication that they have agreed to meet Chelsea’s asking price.
The latest development therefore leaves the decision firmly with City and any other potential suitors.
Chelsea’s demand for a £120m net fee would represent a significant investment, particularly given the scale of the overall deal required to take Fernández away from Stamford Bridge.
For City, the deadline provides clarity over what it would take to make the Argentina international available this summer.
Fernández joined Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023 in a British-record deal and has since established himself as an important part of their midfield.
Now, according to Ornstein, City have until 5pm on Friday to decide whether Fernández is worth the £120m net fee Chelsea are demanding.
If no suitable offer arrives by then, Chelsea’s position is that the midfielder will stay at Stamford Bridge this summer.
