Manchester City pursue £65m Ndiaye transfer and open Fernández talks

Manchester City have reached a financial agreement worth up to £65m with Everton to acquire forward Iliman Ndiaye, while simultaneously opening discussions with Chelsea over midfielder Enzo Fernández. The Senegal international is scheduled for a medical regarding a transfer structure of £60m upfront and £5m in conditional add-ons.

This late-window pivot highlights City’s financial flexibility following the collapse of their £85m pursuit of Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo. By intercepting a transfer Tottenham Hotspur had agreed to in principle on Sunday, City have left Everton with minimal time to secure a replacement before the Tuesday night deadline.

The sheer volume of capital moving between these top-flight clubs illustrates the concentrated financial power at the summit of European football. City’s ability to absorb a failed £85m target and immediately fund a £65m alternative demonstrates a market dominance that smaller clubs struggle to match.

The collapsed north London arrangement initially included Richarlison moving to Merseyside, a plan the Brazilian forward rejected. He issued a public statement declaring he "would not allow his future to be decided for him" and is now expected to remain at Spurs.

Tottenham have redirected their resources, agreeing to take Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea. Mudryk recently became eligible to play following a resolved doping suspension and previously worked under Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Chelsea now confront the potential exit of Fernández, who reportedly desires a reunion with former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca at City. The London club has valued the Argentine midfielder at £120m this summer and may leverage the approaching deadline to demand an even higher premium.

Replacing Fernández presents a distinct market challenge for Chelsea as they attempt to upgrade their squad. The club has explored Roma’s Manu Koné and Monaco’s Lamine Camara, but has encountered resistance in separate attempts to acquire Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

Further squad restructuring at Chelsea includes a permanent transfer agreement with Spurs for defender Tosin Adarabioyo. Additionally, goalkeeper Robert Sánchez is nearing a loan move to Como after losing his starting position following the arrival of Emiliano Martínez.