Chelsea supporters have reacted with frustration after Enzo Fernandez made his feelings clear following his blockbuster £125 million transfer to Manchester City.
The 25-year-old Argentine midfielder completed his move to the Etihad Stadium on deadline day, ending a three-and-a-half-year spell at Stamford Bridge in the process.
The deal equals a joint-British transfer record, making Fernandez one of the most expensive players in the history of English football.
Speaking after the move was confirmed, Fernandez wasted no time in expressing his excitement about joining Enzo Maresca’s side in Manchester.
His comments, relayed by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, have drawn significant attention from Chelsea supporters unhappy with the way his exit unfolded.
Fernandez said: “I always dreamed to be in a club as big as Manchester City. This is a dream move for me. I’m really happy.”
While he did not directly reference Chelsea, many supporters interpreted the remarks as a thinly veiled swipe at his former club.
His decision to describe City as a club he had always dreamed of joining did not go unnoticed among those who spent three seasons watching him at Stamford Bridge.
The relationship between Fernandez and the Chelsea fanbase had been deteriorating for some time before the transfer was finalised on deadline day.
After privately expressing a desire to leave earlier in the year, the midfielder was subjected to persistent booing from his own supporters during pre-season friendlies and the Premier League opener against Fulham.
Those tensions made his eventual departure feel inevitable, though the manner in which it was handled left many Blues supporters feeling aggrieved and let down.
Fernandez now reunites with Enzo Maresca at Manchester City, the manager he previously worked under during his time at Stamford Bridge before Maresca made the move to the Etihad.
For Chelsea, the fallout from the transfer has been compounded by the collapse of Lamine Camara’s proposed move to Stamford Bridge on deadline day.
The club have since been linked with former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum on a free transfer as they look to address the gap left in midfield.
It has been a turbulent end to the transfer window for Chelsea, who now face the challenge of rebuilding without one of their most high-profile players from recent seasons.
