Manchester City Prepare Move for Fernandez Amid Chelsea Uncertainty

Manchester City are readying a move for Fernandez, undeterred by having sailed past Chelsea’s informal deadline earlier in the window, as the midfielder’s £120 million future hangs over Stamford Bridge.

The Argentina international has been at the centre of exit talk all summer, but for now, Chelsea still plan around him. According to The Independent, Xabi Alonso expects Fernandez to be part of the squad for Thursday’s Carabao Cup tie against Luton Town.

Asked directly, Alonso did not hesitate.

"Yes, so we expect that he's involved. He has trained, he's training really well, he's a good professional and he will be involved."

Fernandez came off the bench in the Premier League opener against Fulham on Monday, a brief cameo that carried a bit more weight than usual. Chelsea fans at Craven Cottage greeted him warmly, a sharp contrast to the boos he faced at Stamford Bridge in pre-season, when his controversial role in Argentina's World Cup semi-final win over England still coloured the mood.

The atmosphere has shifted. The transfer noise has not.

Pressed on whether he wants to keep Fernandez, Alonso struck a careful tone. The desire is obvious; the certainty is not.

"We want to have the best team possible. We know his qualities. He has shown it and we have to wait, but we will think about tomorrow and let's see how things develop."

Manchester City, undaunted by Chelsea’s stance so far, are expected to lodge another bid before the September 1 deadline. The clock is ticking, and both clubs know it.

Chelsea, for their part, have a contingency in mind. If Fernandez goes, the plan is to turn again to Bournemouth and test their resolve over Alex Scott. Bournemouth have rejected interest to this point, but there is a belief that an offer beyond £80 million, edging towards £90 million, could force a rethink on the south coast.

Alonso would not bite on the obvious follow-up: whether any Fernandez sale hinges on securing a replacement first. He kept the discussion broad, almost philosophical, as the market swirls around him.

"It is always about understanding the context, the situation, timings, circumstances, so there is not a defined rule for everything. You need to know how things have worked, what you want, what you want for the future, so I don't have the rules in stone. We need to assess each situation."

For now, that “situation” is clear enough. Fernandez is still a Chelsea player, still training, still expected to feature against Luton. City are circling, Bournemouth are braced, and Chelsea stand on the edge of a decision that could reshape the heart of their midfield in the final days of the window.