You want to play hardball? Well, that won't work. Chelsea have decided to put an end to the uncertainty and prevent Manchester City from dragging the Enzo Fernandez saga out for several more episodes. So they have issued an ultimatum: a deadline by which the deal must be completed, otherwise City will have to forget about the Argentine midfielder. According to British media reports, Chelsea officials have told their Manchester counterparts that they have until Friday at 6 p.m. local time to submit an official offer for Fernandez. And not just any offer — it must be exactly 120,000,000 pounds. That is more than they paid Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson. If City fail to meet the deadline, the door will be slammed shut and the Argentine midfielder will remain at Stamford Bridge. There will be no discount, no bargaining, and Chelsea have even specified the exact payment structure they expect.🚨MORE ON ENZO FERNANDEZ: Xabi Alonso wants a settled squad by the time Chelsea kick off their Premier League campaign against Fulham on August 24. That is why Chelsea have set Manchester City – and any other interested parties – a Friday 5pm (UK time) deadline to pay Enzo… https://t.co/YAPaf6vrsy pic.twitter.com/yjQ9ldgmax— BLUES XTRA (@bluesxtra_X) August 13, 2026 Sky Sports writes that Chelsea's reaction has been influenced to some extent by Barcelona and the negotiations the Spanish champions are conducting with Manchester City over Rodri. Losing one of their most important players would force City to find a replacement, and with the two clubs still far apart in their negotiations — Barcelona offering 60,000,000 and City demanding 80,000,000 — Chelsea are aware that the Fernandez talks could also drag on. And that is precisely what they want to avoid. The same source adds that City have a potential replacement lined up for every player whose departure is possible. They are simultaneously negotiating with Lille for Ayoub Bouaddi, for example. And it increasingly looks as though City could need two new midfielders, particularly after reports emerged on Wednesday evening that Al Qadsiah from Saudi Arabia had offered 60,000,000 for Tijjani Reijnders.Enzo would like to bring EnzoThe name Enzo Fernandez has been underlined in red in the offices at the Etihad. It is no secret that City's current head coach, Enzo Maresca, absolutely adores his Argentine namesake. The two Enzos developed an excellent relationship while the Italian was in charge at Chelsea, and that strong personal connection is the main reason Maresca desperately wants him at his new club. The problem for City, however, is that Chelsea have absolutely no need or desire to sell the player at any cost. On top of that, the midfielder, who was sent off in the World Cup final, is contractually tied to Stamford Bridge until 2032.Pep joins Xabi Alonso's Chelsea – but not that PepThe 140,000,000 asking price may sound excessive, but Chelsea have their own clear calculation. When they signed Fernandez from Benfica in January 2023, they paid an enormous 121,000,000 euros for him. The American owners clearly do not want to make a loss, particularly if they are going to strengthen a direct Premier League rival. Fernandez also endured a turbulent spring, during which he was frequently linked with Real Madrid. The Argentine was unpopular in west London at the time and was left out for two matches in April after publicly admitting that he would like to live in the Spanish capital. Although he and his agent later apologised — while apparently also attempting to secure an improved contract in London — and Real eventually withdrew from the race, it is clear that complete peace was never restored between the club and the player. Either way, the clock is now ticking rapidly and the ball is firmly in City's court. And it will remain there until 6 p.m. on Friday at the latest, when Chelsea will once again have the final say.##NAJAVA_MECA_9889938##
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