Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Friday that new City manager Enzo Maresca has identified his former Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández as his preferred replacement for Rodri.
- Rodri is in the final year of his contract and has nominated Barcelona as his preferred destination, leaving City to prepare for a likely midfield exit.
- Chelsea view Fernández as a key piece of Xabi Alonso’s rebuild, have him under contract until 2032, and are expected to demand a transfer fee reported around £120 million.
- Manchester City are keeping Fernández as a primary target while also monitoring younger, cheaper options such as Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi and integrating recent signings like Elliot Anderson.
- Any City move depends on Rodri’s departure and would carry wider consequences for the market because a sale would force City to pay a large fee or settle for a riskier, less experienced alternative.