Manchester City to Test Chelsea's Resolve Over Fernandez Again

Manchester City are ready to test Chelsea’s resolve over Fernandez again, even after ignoring an informal deadline set earlier in the window.

The midfielder, valued at around £120 million, has sat at the heart of one of the summer’s longest-running sagas, his future at Stamford Bridge questioned almost weekly. City have circled, waited, and now look set to come again before the September 1 deadline.

Alonso insists Fernandez stays in the picture

For now, though, Xabi Alonso is planning with Fernandez, not without him.

The Chelsea head coach expects the Argentine to be involved in Thursday’s Carabao Cup tie against Luton Town, as reported by The Independent. Fernandez came off the bench in the Premier League opener against Fulham on Monday, a brief but telling reminder that he remains part of the squad’s core.

Alonso was clear when asked if Fernandez would feature.

"Yes, so we expect that he's involved. He has trained, he's training really well, he's a good professional and he will be involved."

Those words underline a simple reality: until a deal is done, Chelsea intend to use him.

The mood around Fernandez has shifted, too. He received a warm reception from Chelsea supporters when he came on at Craven Cottage, a stark contrast to the boos that greeted him in a pre-season friendly at Stamford Bridge. That hostility stemmed from his controversial role in Argentina's World Cup semi-final victory over England, but the tone has softened. On Monday night, the crowd chose backing over bitterness.

City push, Chelsea weigh their options

Pressed on whether he wants to keep Fernandez, Alonso did not hide his admiration, but he stopped short of any guarantees.

"We want to have the best team possible. We know his qualities. He has shown it and we have to wait, but we will think about tomorrow and let's see how things develop."

That line captures Chelsea’s dilemma. They know what they have. They also know what £120 million can do in a rebuilding squad.

Manchester City, for their part, are expected to submit another bid before the window closes. They missed Chelsea’s informal cut-off earlier in the summer, but the Premier League champions rarely walk away easily from targets they truly want.

Scott lined up if Fernandez goes

Chelsea have already mapped out a possible next step.

If Fernandez leaves, they are prepared to go back to Bournemouth for Alex Scott. Bournemouth have so far shut down any interest, making it clear they do not want to sell. But there is a growing belief that an offer in excess of £80 million – and probably closer to £90 million – could change the conversation.

Alonso, though, refused to link any Fernandez sale directly to landing a replacement.

"It is always about understanding the context, the situation, timings, circumstances, so there is not a defined rule for everything. You need to know how things have worked, what you want, what you want for the future, so I don't have the rules in stone. We need to assess each situation."

No hard lines. No public ultimatums. Just a manager bracing for late-window turbulence while trying to win a cup tie against Luton.

City are coming. Chelsea are calculating. The clock is ticking on a decision that could reshape both midfields before the window slams shut.