Man City 'exploring' Enzo Fernandez deal, it would break transfer record

Manchester City have Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez high on their list of midfield targets at the moment, sources have told Football Insider.

The Citizens appear increasingly likely to lose Rodri this month, and could turn their attention to Fernandez, who new boss Enzo Maresca is a "big fan" of.

Chelsea would reluctantly be willing to sell the Argentine if a suitable offer came in, but they have previously valued him as high as £120million.

Sources have indicated that while City are "exploring" a deal for Fernandez, they are not willing to go that high for the 25-year-old, especially since they are still working on a deal for Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Chelsea intend to stick to their £120m valuation if possible, leaving little room for City to negotiate a lower fee.

They have already spent £116m to add Elliot Anderson to their midfield this summer, and do not intend to pay the full price for Fernandez.

Man City may need pair of midfield additions

While Bouaddi remains the first-choice midfield candidate for City in the latter stages of the window, they are still yet to reach an agreement with Lille for his transfer.

The Manchester giants have been working on a deal for the Moroccan for several months now, but are still yet to truly reach the final stages.

Signing the youngster is likely to require a £100m fee, which in turn would lower the chances of them spending a similar figure on Fernandez.

However, the fact that City are potentially facing a pair of central midfield exits could yet change the picture for them again.

Alongside Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders is also being linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium, and those deals have the potential to free up cash for the recruitment team.

Maresca and Co. would look for two replacements for the outgoing stars, which potentially would make moves for both Bouaddi and Fernandez more viable.

Tijjani Reijnders tempted to quit Man City

Football Insider revealed that Reijnders could be tempted to push for a move away from City before the 1 September transfer deadline.

The Dutchman is concerned regarding the level of gametime that he received last term, and if there is little indication of that changing this time around, then he may be prepared to look elsewhere.

The 28-year-old made 50 appearances in all competitions last term, but just 19 of them came from the start in the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest have been credited with an interest in Reijnders of late, and see him as someone who could fill the void left by Anderson's departure.