Manchester City have signed Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández for a joint British record £125 million fee, ending the summer’s longest-running transfer saga.

According to the BBC, the Argentina international’s arrival broke City’s club record transfer fee for the second time this summer, following the £116m signing of Elliot Anderson.

City had to overcome several obstacles to complete the deal during the 79-day transfer window, including deadlines set by Chelsea and the backdrop of former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca’s appointment as City’s manager.

Maresca was the key factor behind the deal, keen to reunite with his former Chelsea captain. Fernández is familiar with Maresca’s instructions, patterns of play and midfield system.

City lost Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders and Nico González this summer, leaving a void in midfield, while Fernández brings valuable big-game experience after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and helping them reach a second consecutive final in July.

City have started the season with back-to-back Premier League wins. Fernández became the first player in football history to move for more than £100m twice, following his £107m transfer from Benfica to Chelsea in 2023.

The 25-year-old also joins former England internationals Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand as the only players to have broken the British transfer record twice during the Premier League era.

Chelsea had initially set 14 August as the deadline for clubs to meet their £120m valuation, but no offer was made by then. By Monday, the club had raised its asking price to £135m.

City indicated they would walk away at that price but offered £125m the following day, which Chelsea accepted.

Chelsea have now raised more than £425m through player sales, including add-ons, this summer.

The club had initially planned to keep the money and not sign a direct replacement.

Chelsea had agreed a £47m deal to sign Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara as Fernández’s replacement, but the move collapsed at 23:00 BST on deadline day after Monaco renegotiated a deal to sell USA striker Folarin Balogun to Everton.

As a result, Chelsea received the £120m transfer fee for Fernández without securing his replacement, but honoured their agreement and allowed him to join City.