Manchester City's summer transfer window came down to the wire, with the marquee deal for Enzo Fernandez almost slipping away before deadline day negotiations finally sealed his £125m arrival from Chelsea. The fee, agreed on 1 September after Chelsea lowered their original £135m asking price, stands as a joint British transfer record and capped off a remarkable period of spending that has reshaped the club's engine room.
Chelsea's willingness to reduce their demands may have stemmed from their own failed pursuit of Monaco's Lamine Camara as a replacement, but for City the deal completed a £326m overhaul of their midfield. Alongside Fernandez, the club paid £116m for Elliot Anderson, who had long been identified as the preferred successor to departing captain Bernardo Silva, now at Real Madrid. City are said to have taken particular satisfaction in beating rivals, including Manchester United, to Anderson's signature.
The third piece of the midfield puzzle was 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, signed for £85m. The Morocco international, who is studying for a maths degree, is viewed internally as a potential world-class talent and the squad's only true specialist holding midfielder. That distinction highlights an interesting quirk in City's recruitment: while they have actually turned a profit in the No 6 position, they have posted a net spend of £191m on No 8s, with Fernandez and Anderson now the two most expensive signings in the club's history.
The departure of Tijjani Reijnders, regarded as a genuinely world-class performer given his goal and assist contributions, opened the door for the new arrivals, though it was new head coach Enzo Maresca — working with a player he knew from Chelsea — who reportedly pushed hardest for Fernandez rather than the club's own initial preference for Anderson. Nico O'Reilly is also expected to see more midfield minutes this season regardless.
City's rebuild extended well beyond central midfield. The wings have been transformed with Savinho and Omar Marmoush arriving in recent windows and Oscar Bobb departing in January, while Allan Elias and Iliman Ndiaye have since joined the ranks. Marmoush's arrival was partly to provide cover for Erling Haaland, though Antoine Semenyo — signed in the previous window — is now seen as the more likely option to lead the line as a false centre-forward when Haaland rests. Ndiaye's past performances against City for Everton reportedly caught the eye of the club's recruitment staff.
At the back, Marc Guehi has been brought in as the long-term successor to John Stones, who left on a free transfer alongside Nathan Ake. Vitor Reis, signed in January 2025 and who spent last season on loan at Girona, is expected to step into Ake's role with more regular involvement this campaign.
The sale of Savinho to Tottenham for an initial £75m — with add-ons potentially taking the fee to £85m — raised some eyebrows given the winger had only signed a new five-year deal in October. City felt able to set their price given Tottenham's spending patterns and the club's determination to recoup outlay on previous signings such as Reijnders and Marmoush, whose loan move will soon become permanent.
Overall, City committed around £435m in gross spending this summer, offset by roughly two-thirds recouped through sales, leaving a net spend of £133m. The squad has also grown notably younger, with veterans Rodri, Silva, Stones and Ake departing alongside the mid-to-late-twenties duo of Reijnders and Marmoush.
The upheaval comes amid broader change at the Etihad, with Maresca replacing Pep Guardiola and Hugo Viana taking over from Txiki Begiristain as director of football. City believe their new approach is working and expect a smaller outlay next summer if the current wave of signings proves successful, insisting their squad is now stronger than at the close of the 2025 window.
Based on reporting from The Independent.