Reunion at the Etihad

Enzo Fernandez has spoken for the first time since joining Manchester City, and the midfielder has been clear about one thing: Enzo Maresca is the reason he's here.

The Argentina international was officially unveiled at the Etihad today, a day after City and Chelsea reached an agreement. It brings to an end a period of uncertainty that, by Fernandez's own admission, was not easy to navigate.

"To be honest, we were both very eager for it to happen, because it wasn't easy for me to be here today," he said.

A Manager Who Made It Happen

The pair were together at Stamford Bridge as recently as last season, before Maresca's unexpected exit. The Italian then took the City job this summer, succeeding Pep Guardiola. Now, barely months later, the two are reunited in Manchester.

Fernandez did not hide his admiration for the man who pushed to bring him north.

"He is a top manager, honestly. I had him at my previous club. They were incredible moments. I learned so much with him," the 25-year-old said.

There is a debt of gratitude there, and Fernandez is not shy about acknowledging it. "I'm also grateful because he was very important in bringing me here. So it's a huge pleasure for me to work alongside him and enjoy it."

He added: "But I know he also made a big effort, speaking to the club, and I'm grateful that he did that."

Still Puzzled by the Chelsea Exit

Earlier this year, before any of this was on the horizon, Fernandez admitted he could not fathom why Maresca had left Chelsea. Nothing has changed on that front.

"I don't understand it either," he said. "Sometimes there are things that we as players don't understand, how and in what way they try to manage things."

There was real emotion in his recollection of Maresca's departure. "Obviously, it was a departure that hurt us a lot because we had an identity. He gave us an order, even though, as is the way of football, sometimes it's good and bad. But he always had a very clear identity when it came to training and playing," Fernandez reflected.

"And obviously his departure hurt us a lot, especially in the middle of the season, it cuts everything short."

For Chelsea, the chapter has closed. Xabi Alonso now occupies the Stamford Bridge dugout, an appointment that has generated its own excitement. But the sense of what might have been lingers in Fernandez's words.

City, for their part, will hope that the bond between player and manager translates onto the pitch. If the midfielder's enthusiasm is anything to go by, the early signs are promising.