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Enzo Fernandez's £125m Move to Man City Among Premier League's Biggest Transfers

Manchester City completed the signing of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez just before the September 1 transfer deadline, shelling out £125 million. The Argentina international was a prime target for manager Enzo Maresca, who is leading City's squad rebuild in his first season in charge.

This fee makes Fernandez the first player ever to be bought twice for over £100 million, following his move from Benfica to Chelsea earlier in 2023.

Where Fernandez Stands in Premier League History

The £125 million paid by City puts Fernandez level with Alexander Isak's transfer from Newcastle United to Liverpool in September 2025, making them the joint-most expensive British football signings ever. Liverpool’s deal for Bradley Barcola in August 2026 could reach £123 million if all add-ons are met.

Morgan Rogers became the most expensive English player after moving from Aston Villa to Chelsea this summer, briefly overtaken by teammate Elliot Anderson following his sale from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City.

Top 10 Most Expensive Premier League Transfers

  • 1. Alexander Isak: Newcastle to Liverpool - £125m (Sept 2025)
  • = Enzo Fernandez: Chelsea to Manchester City - £125m (Sept 2026)
  • 3. Bradley Barcola: PSG to Liverpool - £123m (Aug 2026)
  • 4. Morgan Rogers: Aston Villa to Chelsea - £117m (July 2026)
  • 5. Elliot Anderson: Nottingham Forest to Manchester City - £116m (July 2026)
  • = Florian Wirtz: Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool - £116m (June 2025)
  • 7. Moises Caicedo: Brighton to Chelsea - £115m (Aug 2023)
  • 8. Enzo Fernandez: Benfica to Chelsea - £106.8m (Jan 2023)
  • 9. Declan Rice: West Ham to Arsenal - £105m (July 2023)
  • 10. Jack Grealish: Aston Villa to Manchester City - £100m (Aug 2022)
  • = Sandro Tonali: Newcastle to Tottenham - £100m (July 2026)

Anderson’s £116 million move matches Florian Wirtz’s 2025 transfer fee. The entire top ten list has taken shape within the past four years, with Grealish’s 2022 transfer to City as the oldest. Chelsea, City, and Liverpool have each made three signings exceeding £100 million.

Aston Villa and Newcastle United share the record for the most sales on this list, thanks to transfers including Rogers and Tonali. Newcastle’s transfer dealings have been notably lucrative recently.

Premier League in Global Transfer Records

Worldwide, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe’s massive moves to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 still top the charts, with £198 million and £163.3 million fees respectively. These remain unlikely to be surpassed soon.

Outside of those, the Premier League dominates the global top 10, boasting six of the highest-value transfers. Fernandez now ranks joint third-most expensive globally, replacing his own previous Chelsea move out of the top ten.

Top 10 Most Expensive Transfers in Football History

  • 1. Neymar: Barcelona to PSG - £198m ($252m) (Aug 2017)
  • 2. Kylian Mbappe: AS Monaco to PSG - £163.3m ($207.5m) (Aug 2017)
  • 3. Alexander Isak: Newcastle to Liverpool - £125m ($170m) (Sept 2025)
  • = Enzo Fernandez: Chelsea to Manchester City - £125m ($169m) (Sept 2026)
  • 5. Bradley Barcola: PSG to Liverpool - £123m ($166m) (Aug 2026)
  • 6. Morgan Rogers: Aston Villa to Chelsea - £117m ($157m) (July 2026)
  • 7. Elliot Anderson: Nottingham Forest to Manchester City - £116m ($153m) (July 2026)
  • 8. Florian Wirtz: Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool - £116m ($135m) (June 2025)
  • 9. Moises Caicedo: Brighton to Chelsea - £115m ($147m) (Aug 2023)
  • 10. Joao Felix: Benfica to Atletico Madrid - £113m ($143.5m) (July 2019)

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