Manchester City have confirmed the £125million ($169m) signing of midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea.The Athletic reported earlier on Tuesday that City had finally reached an agreement to sign Fernandez, with the package equalling the existing British transfer record set by Liverpool’s purchase of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United last summer, a move that was also completed late in the transfer window.City had offered £104m plus add-ons but Chelsea asked any fee be fixed and then specified on Monday a price of £135m, at which point City indicated they were walking away, before a compromise was found at £125m.“Every player wants to be part of a club like this because everyone knows how well-run City are,” Fernandez, who has signed a five-year deal, said in a release on City’s website.“I could not be happier to be here, and I am ready for the challenge of helping City continue winning trophies. This is a club built for success.”Fernandez’s exit brings to an end what has been a drawn-out saga surrounding the 25-year-old and his future at Chelsea.The west London club had indicated on August 14 that they expected Fernandez to stay for the 2026-27 season after their self-imposed deadline passed without City making a bid.Chelsea valued Fernandez at £120m and insisted at the time that if they did not receive an offer of that figure inside the outlined timeframe, he would not leave the club this summer.Chelsea said that their terms were communicated to City and Fernandez’s camp, and said his representatives had been made aware of their valuation since May.However, The Athletic reported on Monday that City had turned their focus to Fernandez after their pursuit of Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo ended with the Merseyside club rejecting a bid of up to £80m.Fernandez was booed by supporters at Stamford Bridge during the club’s final pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad and again in the opening Premier League game at Fulham. He ended the match by going down the tunnel without joining his team-mates in front of the away support at full-time and did not feature in either of the following games, against Luton Town in the Carabao Cup or Brighton & Hove Albion in the league on Sunday.Why soccer transfers are so different from trades in U.S. sportsHannah Vanbiber and Reuben PinderFernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica for a then British transfer record of £106.8m in January 2023 and has a contract with the club until 2032.He cast doubt over his Chelsea future on multiple occasions during the latter stages of the 2025-26 campaign, culminating in former head coach Liam Rosenior dropping him for two games in April.