Enzo Fernández

The complete midfielder

Fernández joined City on deadline day of the 2026 summer transfer window from Chelsea.

joined River aged just six and gradually worked his way through the youth ranks at his boyhood club, before moving to Defensa y Justicia on a two-year loan switch when he was 18.

At Defensa y Justicia he played under manager Hernan Crespo, the former Parma, Inter and AC Milan striker - an icon of Argentinian football. Fernández gradually established himself as a regular and won the 2020 Copa Sudamericana and the 2021 Recopa Sudamericana.

It was a transformative loan move for Fernández, who returned to River a better, more complete player and helped them win the league title in 2021.

A star was truly born.

European clubs were soon swarming, and it was Benfica who captured his signature, joining the Portuguese giants in the summer of 2022. Handed the No.13 shirt synonymous with club legend Eusebio, he transitioned to European football effortlessly.

But it was the 2022 World Cup that saw Fernández catapulted to global fame. Argentina won their third trophy, and Fernández was exceptional. He was just 21, yet the fullness of his game became a huge talking point across football. It seemed he could do everything: a fighter, a goalscorer and a player who controls matches.

As a result of his performances and just six months after moving to Portugal and with Benfica on course for title success, he made his move to the Premier League with Chelsea, where he went on to win the Europa Conference League, the FIFA Club World Cup and established himself as one of the division’s finest talents.

He also won the Copa America with Argentina in 2024 and appeared in another World Cup final this summer as La Albiceleste lost to Spain in the final. He currently has 49 caps and has scored eight goals.

It’s a glittering CV for a man his age.

And now comes a move to Manchester City. So, what are City getting?

In short, a winner and a world-class talent.

Fernández is arguably the perfect modern midfielder – a player comfortable in possession, with outstanding technique, wonderful vision, a great range of passing and the ability to score goals. He gets involved in games and never shies away, a leader who thrives on big occasions and in pressure situations.

His knack of arriving in the box late and getting on the end of balls is perhaps his most striking asset. He scored 15 goals and contributed seven assists for Chelsea last season in 54 games across all competitions. A matchwinner of the highest calibre.

One thing is for certain: City will be a more complete proposition with Fernández in the side.

Date of birth2001-01-17

Birth cityBuenos Aires, Argentina

Joined City2026-09-01

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