Man City spending spree could end with £194m England pair AND Enzo Fernandez

Manchester City are reportedly ‘gearing up for a midfield spending spree’ which could see a £194million England pair unite and Enzo Fernandez sign, amid the latest from insider David Ornstein on one star.

City have signed have new players this summer, but Elliot Anderson is the only big name. The £116million transfer from Nottingham Forest is the only one the club have paid over £25million for.

But according to The Sun, the club are preparing for a ‘midfield spending spree’.

It comes after Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders both left the club and with Nico Gonzalez in talks with Newcastle.

Per the report, new boss Enzo Maresca is looking for more midfield additions after signing Anderson – with Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi not far from joining – and there are some big names on the radar.

Crystal Palace’s £78million-rated Adam Wharton ‘remains a possibility’ for City, as does Chelsea’s Fernandez.

That said, Ornstein has revealed for The Athletic that the Manchester outfit have enquired about Wharton and been turned away as Palace don’t want to sell.

Chelsea’s asking price for Fernandez, meanwhile, has increased after Friday’s 5pm deadline passed, but it’s felt he remains an option at the Etihad, with an exit still possible if a ‘serious approach’ was made.

READ MORE: Every completed Man City transfer in summer 2026: Signings, exits, loans

Enzo Fernandez deal remains possible for Man City

There have been suggestions of late that City could be waiting until they make enough money to sign Fernandez. With Rodri and Reijnders gone, they’ve brought in over £100million for two midfielders.

The Argentine will cost over £120million, but after James Trafford also brought in a decent fee, and with Tottenham advancing on deals for Omar Marmoush and Savinho, who together will command fees above £100million, a deal for Fernandez could be easily achieved.

Insider Fabrizio Romano recently revealed the chances of getting the Chelsea man after the deadline passed.

He wrote: ‘At the moment, what happened is that the deadline is over in terms of a verbal exit clause. Chelsea consider £120m as, basically, a release clause that was active until Friday. But no club arrived, including Manchester City, so that price is no longer easily available.

‘Now, what does it mean? As far as I understand, it means that Chelsea would be happy to continue with Enzo Fernandez and keep him at the club.

‘However, don’t forget that Manchester City are still talking with the Argentine’s agents, and they still have a chance to try in the final two weeks of the summer transfer window to reach an agreement with Chelsea for Fernandez.

‘That said, it will be for a different price. For sure, £120m is no longer going to be a closed, go and get the player in five minutes, kind of deal.’