Record deal and a new-look midfield
Manchester City have agreed a £125m fee with Chelsea for Enzo Fernández, a sum that makes the Argentine the club's most expensive signing and equals the British transfer record. The move, confirmed by Sky Sports, follows Fabrizio Romano's customary 'here we go' and Fernández has already been permitted to undergo his medical.
The fee overtakes the £116m City paid for Elliot Anderson earlier this summer. It also matches the British record Liverpool set when they signed Alexander Isak from Newcastle last year.
Fernández's arrival was one of two headline developments on a frantic deadline day. Iliman Ndiaye is officially a City player, completing a £65m switch from Everton. The Senegal international has signed a five-year contract, with the Toffees receiving £60m guaranteed and up to £5m in add-ons.
For Ndiaye, it caps a curious journey. The 26-year-old once had unsuccessful trials with Chelsea and Tottenham before eventually getting his chance at Sheffield United. Now he is a City player, and the footballing world has a fine sense of timing.
There was more. Ayyoub Bouaddi arrived from Lille in another huge deal, while Allan was also added to Enzo Maresca's squad.
A changing of the guard
The influx of new faces comes against a backdrop of significant departures. Rodri has gone to Barcelona, Bernardo Silva has left, and Nico González moved to Newcastle. Jack Grealish, meanwhile, is to spend another season at Everton.
Grealish's situation had become increasingly obvious. The 30-year-old was unlikely to feature prominently under Maresca, and another loan gives him the chance to play regularly at a club where he enjoyed his football last season.
City finished second last season, and several huge figures from the previous era have since moved on. The challenge for Maresca is to knit this new, expensively assembled group into something coherent. The raw materials, at least, are now in place.