Enzo Fernandez's £125m Move to Manchester City Among Premier League's Biggest Transfers

Just before the transfer window closed on September 1, Manchester City completed their pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The Argentina international was a key target for manager Enzo Maresca, who is leading a significant rebuild as he starts his first season in charge.

This £125 million deal makes Fernandez the first player ever to transfer twice for more than £100 million, following his big move from Benfica to Chelsea earlier in 2023.

Where Does Fernandez's Transfer Stand in Premier League History?

The fee places Fernandez among the most expensive players in British football history, tying with Alexander Isak's 2025 switch from Newcastle United to Liverpool, which was also £125 million. Other recent massive transfers include Liverpool’s potential £123 million signing of Bradley Barcola from PSG in August 2026.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s sale of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea this summer set a new record for the highest fee paid for an English player. His 2026 World Cup teammate, Elliot Anderson, briefly held that title after Nottingham Forest agreed to sell him to Manchester City.

Top 11 Most Expensive Premier League Transfers

1. Alexander Isak - Newcastle to Liverpool - £125m - September 2025

2.Enzo Fernandez - Chelsea to Manchester City - £125m - September 2026

3. Bradley Barcola - PSG to Liverpool - £123m - August 2026

4. Morgan Rogers - Aston Villa to Chelsea - £117m - July 2026

5. Elliot Anderson - Nottingham Forest to Manchester City - £116m - July 2026

6. Florian Wirtz - Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool - £116m - June 2025

7. Moises Caicedo - Brighton to Chelsea - £115m - August 2023

8. Enzo Fernandez - Benfica to Chelsea - £106.8m - January 2023

9. Declan Rice - West Ham to Arsenal - £105m - July 2023

10. Jack Grealish - Aston Villa to Manchester City - £100m - August 2022

11. Sandro Tonali - Newcastle to Tottenham - £100m - July 2026

Interestingly, all these top 10 transfers have happened in the last four years. The oldest is Jack Grealish's 2022 move to City, marking the first time a British player reached £100 million. Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool each appear three times on this list with signings over £100 million.

Aston Villa and Newcastle United share the record for the most sales in this elite group. Newcastle’s transfer dealings include the lengthy saga of Isak’s transfer and a smoother, lucrative deal for Italy’s Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur.

Premier League Dominates Global Transfer Records

While Neymar and Kylian Mbappe's blockbuster moves to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 remain the highest worldwide fees, the Premier League dominates the majority of the top ten biggest football transfers ever recorded.

Fernandez’s transfer to City ranks as the joint-third most expensive globally, pushing his earlier Chelsea move out of the top ten.

Top 10 Most Expensive Football Transfers Ever

1. Neymar - Barcelona to PSG - £198m ($252m) - August 2017

2. Kylian Mbappe - AS Monaco to PSG - £163.3m ($207.5m) - August 2017

3. Alexander Isak - Newcastle to Liverpool - £125m ($170m) - September 2025

4. Enzo Fernandez - Chelsea to Manchester City - £125m ($169m) - September 2026

5. Bradley Barcola - PSG to Liverpool - £123m ($166m) - August 2026

6. Morgan Rogers - Aston Villa to Chelsea - £117m ($157m) - July 2026

7. Elliot Anderson - Nottingham Forest to Manchester City - £116m ($153m) - July 2026

8. Florian Wirtz - Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool - £116m ($135m) - June 2025

9. Moises Caicedo - Brighton to Chelsea - £115m ($147m) - August 2023

10. Joao Felix - Benfica to Atletico Madrid - £113m ($143.5m) - July 2019