Enzo Fernandez ticks box Man City are missing as former Blues defender admits transfer deal with Chelsea would be a ‘big plus’ - even at £120m

City have already splashed out £116m ($156m) on Elliot Anderson this summer, briefly making him the most expensive British player of all-time. They are also exploring a deal for Lille’s teen sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi - with it possible that another nine-figure fee will change hands there.

With their engine room being given a serious upgrade - as Ballon d’Or winner Rodri sees a return to Spain speculated on at either Barcelona or Real Madrid - the Citizens have emerged as frontrunners to lure South American superstar Fernandez away from Stamford Bridge.

It has been claimed that Chelsea have set a deadline of August 14 for an official approach to be made and talks to be held. City must act quickly if they want to bring more Premier League pedigree onto their books.

Quizzed on whether a deal would make sense for the Blues as they enter the post-Pep Guardiola era - with Fernandez having previously worked with Maresca in west London - Hendry, speaking courtesy of Gambler Media, told GOAL: “Yeah, with what they're trying to replace it does make sense, obviously from the fact that he's come into the Prem and done really really well with Chelsea, or you know as much as you regard how much Chelsea's done. It would be a good addition.

“It's a fair old squad City's getting there now as well, but then again all the teams that are actually challenging for the big prizes have got enormous squads with talent and quality all over the place.

“He's going to be expensive isn't he, but then again everything's expensive these days because it's not in tens of million, it's now coming into hundreds of million and it's crazy. But that's the way the game's gone for a bit and it's going to continue like that until I don't know, you bring back the three or four foreigner rule. I don't know, I thought I'd throw that one in because that's been there before. But I think it'd be a good addition for City.”

Fernandez could be considered the type of player that City have been missing since seeing the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan moved on - with somebody required to post double figures on the goal front from a central midfield berth.

Ex-City defender Hendry added: “It has been an issue if I'm being really honest because you need to weigh in with goals from most parts of the team.

“With the exception of the big man up front, [Erling] Haaland and the amount of goals he scores, but he has been ably supplied with the chances. That's another addition, if he can produce, that can weigh in with 10 goals. If he can hit double figures, then it's a big plus for City.”

Thrashing out personal terms with Fernandez will not be an issue, with it likely that the all-action 25-year-old - who moved to English football from Benfica in January 2023 - will earn an increase to the £180,000-a-week salary that he is bringing in at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea - with new boss Xabi Alonso at the helm - are, however, reluctant sellers and will not make it easy for a prized asset to be prised from their clutches by a fierce Premier League rival.