Blues look to balance books as deadline looms
Manchester City's pursuit of Enzo Fernandez has a hard edge to it: Chelsea want £120m, and they want it by 5pm on Friday. David Ornstein confirmed the deadline on Wednesday night, and the message from west London is blunt — if the valuation isn't met in time, the Argentina international stays put.
City, though, have a plan to fund the move without breaking the bank. The answer lies in two departures: Tijjani Reijnders and Rodri.
Reijnders close to Al Qadsiah exit
Fabrizio Romano reports that Al Qadsiah are in advanced talks with City over Reijnders, with a club-to-club agreement close at around £60m. The Dutch midfielder still needs to give the green light, and Nottingham Forest remain keen, so nothing is sealed just yet.
Rodri, meanwhile, is the subject of a rejected Barcelona bid. Ben Jacobs says the second offer, around £55m, was turned down, though talks continue.
Add those two fees together and you're most of the way to Chelsea's asking price — assuming both deals go through.
Understand Al Qadsiah are in advanced talks with Manchester City to sign Tijjani Reijnders!
There's a certain symmetry here. City's manager, Enzo Maresca, wants to reunite with Fernandez, a player he knows well from their time together. But Chelsea's price tag only holds until Friday evening, which puts the pressure firmly on the Blues' recruitment team to get the outgoings over the line.
Whether Reijnders and Rodri both move in time remains to be seen. If they do, City could recoup much of the £120m outlay — and land the midfielder Maresca clearly wants.