Manchester City have not given up on their pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández, despite failing to submit an offer within the deadline set by Chelsea.
According to recent reports, Manchester City have continued discussions internally over the possibility of making another attempt to sign Fernández, with club representatives reportedly contacting the player's camp again even after Chelsea's deadline had passed.
Chelsea had set Fernández's valuation at £120 million and gave City until Friday, August 14, to submit an offer at that level. However, City did not make a formal bid before the deadline expired, leading Chelsea to believe that Fernández would remain at Stamford Bridge for the 2026/27 season.
The situation has now changed. Since the original deadline passed without City paying the £120 million valuation, Chelsea are in a stronger position to control the price and terms of any negotiations should Manchester City return with a new offer.
Fernández is a player familiar to City's new head coach, Enzo Maresca, who previously worked with him at Chelsea. Maresca is reportedly keen to have the midfielder in his squad, particularly with Rodri's future still being discussed amid reported interest from Barcelona.
However, the major issue will be the cost of the transfer. City have already spent heavily during this window, including more than £100 million on the signing of Elliott Anderson, meaning a deal worth £120 million or more for Fernández would require significant financial decisions from the club.
At Chelsea, head coach Xabi Alonso wants to use Fernández in his plans and the club currently expects the midfielder to stay. However, if City return with an offer that meets Chelsea's revised demands, the possibility of negotiations restarting cannot be ruled out.
For now, there is no agreement or officially confirmed new bid, but Manchester City continue to assess the possibility of returning to the negotiating table for Fernández. With the transfer window still open, the saga could continue until the final days of the window.
