Manchester City to Test Chelsea's Resolve Over Fernandez Again
Manchester City are ready to test Chelsea’s resolve over Fernandez again, even after letting an informal deadline set earlier in the window come and go.
The European champions are expected to return with another offer before the 1 September cut-off, with Fernandez valued at around £120 million after a summer of almost constant speculation about his future at Stamford Bridge.
Alonso plans to use Fernandez – for now
For Xabi Alonso, the focus is more immediate. He still sees Fernandez as part of his plans for this week.
The Independent reports that Alonso expects the midfielder to be involved in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup tie against Luton Town on Thursday, despite the noise around him. Fernandez came off the bench in the Premier League opener at Fulham on Monday, and Alonso made it clear that, as things stand, he remains in the fold.
“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,” Alonso said, confirming the player’s status.
Fernandez’s appearance at Craven Cottage brought a notable change in mood. Chelsea supporters greeted him warmly when he entered the pitch, a stark contrast to the boos he faced during a pre-season friendly at Stamford Bridge, when anger still lingered over his controversial role in Argentina’s World Cup semi-final victory over England.
The reception suggested a reset. The future, though, is still uncertain.
Chelsea weigh up the bigger picture
Asked directly if he wanted to keep Fernandez, Alonso did not hide his admiration, but he also underlined the club’s need to think strategically.
“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,” he said.
Chelsea know City are unlikely to walk away easily. A fresh bid is expected before the window shuts, and the London club are already sketching out their response if Fernandez goes.
If he does leave, Chelsea are preparing to turn back to Bournemouth and revive their interest in Alex Scott. Bournemouth have so far rejected all approaches, standing firm, but there is a belief that an offer beyond £80m – and probably closer to £90m – could force a rethink on the south coast.
Alonso, though, refused to tie Fernandez’s sale directly to the arrival of a replacement.
“It is always about understanding the context, the situation, timings, circumstances, so there is not a defined rule for everything,” he said. “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.”
So the situation is clear enough. City are circling, Chelsea are calculating, and Fernandez, for now, is still expected to pull on a blue shirt against Luton. How many more times he does that before 1 September will define more than just one club’s midfield.
