Manchester City's record-breaking move for Enzo Fernández might never have happened. Before turning to the Argentine, the Blues spent months chasing Bayern Munich's Aleksandar Pavlović, a player they viewed as the ideal anchor for their midfield rebuild.
A Long-Term Target
City's interest in Pavlović was not a fleeting summer fancy. As far back as spring, the club identified the 22-year-old as the linchpin of their plans. Director of Football Hugo Viana reportedly phoned the player's representatives several times, and City were willing to go to €100 million to get a deal done.
That figure was made clear to Bayern Munich. But Pavlović, a graduate of Bayern's academy, had other ideas. "I'm Bavarian, I'm from Munich and I want to stay at Bayern," he said, effectively ending City's pursuit.
At that point, City's order of preference had Pavlović above Enzo Fernández, who was still on Chelsea's books. The German international was seen as the future, the man to build around.
The Alternative That Cost a Record Fee
With Pavlović off the table, City switched attention to Fernández. They prized him out of Chelsea for a club-record £125 million, a fee that dwarfed the €100 million they were prepared to spend on Pavlović.
Fernández arrived with a strong Premier League pedigree. Last season, he racked up 10 goals and four assists in 36 league outings for Chelsea, numbers that underlined his attacking threat from midfield.
Yet it is easy to forget that the Argentine only made his debut a month ago. The midfielder is still settling into Enzo Maresca's side, and the early signs have been promising, but the shadow of what might have been lingers.
City's move for Fernández was not their first choice. It was a reaction to missing out on a player they had courted for months. The club's hierarchy, led by Viana, had done everything to convince Pavlović, but the pull of home proved too strong.
Now, with Rodri's £65.4 million move to Barcelona in the books, City's midfield is in transition. Fernández is the man tasked with filling the void, but the road not taken will always be a talking point.
For City fans, the hope is that Fernández can justify his record fee and make the Pavlović saga a distant memory. But for now, the question remains: what if?