Man City smash the transfer market with Enzo Fernández: €526m spent

The Premier League has once again shown that its financial power has no equal in European football. Its clubs spent close to €4 billion on transfers, smashing the competition's all-time record, and Manchester City grabbed the headlines on deadline day: shortly after midnight they announced the signing of Enzo Fernández for €145 million, the most expensive deal of the entire summer. The 25-year-old Argentine midfielder has signed a five-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2031.

• Manchester City paid €145 million to Chelsea for Enzo Fernández, the most expensive signing of the summer.
• The Manchester club took their total spending to €526 million, more than any other team.
• The Premier League broke the €4 billion mark in transfer spending for the first time.
• Five players were signed for more than €100 million during this window.
• Enzo Fernández's move ranks as the fourth most expensive transfer in football history.

Enzo Fernández: fourth most expensive transfer in football history

Enzo Fernández's move to Manchester City was not only the biggest story of deadline day, but it also places him among the most expensive players of all time. At €145 million, the Argentine international now sits fourth on the all-time list, behind Neymar (€222 million to PSG in 2018), Kylian Mbappé (€180 million to PSG in 2019) and Ousmane Dembélé (€148 million to Barcelona in 2018). Moments before the deal was made official, the midfielder said goodbye to Chelsea fans on social media. The London club had paid €121 million to Benfica for him in January 2013.

Within England, the transfer equals the national record set by Alexander Isak in 2025, when Liverpool also paid €145 million for the Swedish striker. The deal confirms the willingness of top English clubs to pay huge fees for players already proven in the Premier League.

The Premier League smashes its record and passes €4 billion

The Premier League's financial capacity remains light years ahead of the rest of Europe's major leagues. The most striking figure is that five players have been signed for more than €100 million in this window: Enzo Fernández (145), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea, 138), Elliot Anderson (City, 135), Bradley Barcola (Liverpool, 125) and Sandro Tonali (Tottenham, 108). Real Madrid also joined the list of nine-figure deals by paying €125 million to RB Leipzig for Yan Diomande.

Maresca's City lead the spending with €526 million

Manchester City did not stop at Enzo Fernández. On deadline day they also completed the signing of Iliman Ndiaye, a 26-year-old Senegalese attacking midfielder from Everton, for €70 million. With those two additions, the club managed by Enzo Maresca — Pep Guardiola's replacement — overtook Chelsea as the biggest spender of the window with a total outlay of €526 million.

To offset that level of spending, City sold players for €337 million: Savio (Tottenham), Reijnders (Al Qadsiah), Rodri (Barcelona), Nico González (Newcastle), Trafford (Leeds) and Aké (Fenerbahçe). They also loaned Jack Grealish to Everton once again.

Other deadline day moves across the Premier League

The final day of the window produced several other notable deals. Aston Villa paid €55 million to PSG for the 18-year-old Senegalese winger Ibrahim Mbaye. The European champions, who had sold Barcola on Monday, considered signing a striker but ultimately decided against a last-minute reinforcement.

Newcastle spent €60 million on the 21-year-old Spanish-Belgian striker Matías Fernández-Pardo from Lille and loaned Nick Woltemade to Juventus. It marked another significant departure for the Magpies after Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal) and Anthony Gordon (Barcelona) left the club. Juventus also brought in Pape Matar Sarr on loan from Tottenham.

Chelsea, meanwhile, sold Tosun Adarabioyo to Tottenham and loaned Mikhaylo Mudryk to the same club following his lengthy doping suspension. Arsenal sent Nathan Nwaneri on loan to Borussia Dortmund.

Frequently asked questions about Enzo Fernández's move to Man City