Enzo Maresca Addresses Enzo Fernandez Transfer Rumors

Enzo Maresca has moved to cool talk of a dramatic late swoop for Enzo Fernandez, insisting Manchester City are not planning any business on Friday despite a strict deadline set by Chelsea.

City have been heavily linked with the Argentina midfielder, but the clock is ticking. Chelsea have put a firm 5pm BST cut-off on Friday, August 14, for any bids to land on their desk, alongside a £120million asking price.

That has cranked up the noise around a potential deal. Maresca, though, is not playing along.

Speaking ahead of City’s Community Shield clash with Arsenal this weekend, the Italian was asked directly about the prospect of reuniting with Fernandez and whether fans should expect a new face through the door before the day is out.

“Not today, to be honest. I don't think we're going to do something today,” he said in his Friday morning press conference.

Pressed again on Fernandez, Maresca stuck firmly to the managers’ code.

“In this moment, again, I have to give you the same answer since day one. It will always be the same. It's a player from another club, I don't think it's correct to talk about him.

“At the same time, I don't think it's correct for other clubs to speak about our players. That's why I'm not going to say anything about players that aren't with us.”

So while Chelsea wait to see if anyone blinks before their 5pm deadline, City’s head coach is publicly steering away from any late drama.

One transfer Maresca does expect to move quickly is the departure of Tijjani Reijnders to Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah. A £51.2m agreement was reached on Thursday, and the deal is now on the brink of completion.

“Tij is not officially done, but we'll see in the next hour,” Maresca revealed. “I already spoke with him a few times in pre-season, then we will see if he is going to leave or if he is going to stay.

“In the way he was playing in the pre-season games, I was quite happy with his performance overall. I know Tij from Italy, from Milan when he was there so I know him quite well.

“I know there he was playing in a different position, he likes to play a little more deep rather than high up the pitch, but again in the pre-season he was good, then we'll see what happens and we'll decide.”

City, then, go into the Community Shield with Maresca sounding more like a coach tightening his squad than one chasing a blockbuster midfield signing. The market may still be raging around them, but his message is clear: for now, the real work is on the pitch.