Manchester City have completed the £65million signing of Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye, having agreed to buy Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for a joint British record fee of £125m.
Enzo Maresca’s side have splashed the cash on deadline day, with Senegal international Ndiaye joining on a contract until 2031 after a deal was struck with the Toffees on Monday.
The Press Association understands an even bigger signing looks set to follow, with Fernandez given permission to speak to City and finalise a move three months after first telling Chelsea he wanted to leave and more than two weeks after the expiry of a deadline imposed by the club for bids.
Nevertheless, it is understood the Blues were always open to doing a deal for the Argentina international beyond the August 13 cut-off, provided City’s offer reflected rising summer market valuations after a number of deals in the Premier League and in Europe that were struck for more than £100m.
The size of the fee matches that paid by Liverpool to Newcastle for Alexander Isak a year ago.
The move will reunite the 25-year-old with City boss Maresca, with whom he worked when the Italian was in charge at Stamford Bridge. The pair enjoyed a close relationship and Fernandez has been eager to work under Maresca again.
Formal contact was made by City over a deal on Monday evening and things moved quickly on deadline day.
Fernandez was left out of the last two matchday squads by Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, who said he only wanted players who had a “desire to play” for the club.
Fernandez has spent three-and-a-half years at Chelsea after signing from Benfica for a then-British-record £107m.
Welcome to City, Iliman 🩵 pic.twitter.com/u3WWUpVQOg
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 1, 2026
The midfielder is set to follow Ndiaye into the Etihad Stadium after City switched focus to the 26-year-old after their attempts to sign Cody Gakpo from Liverpool failed to come to fruition.
Tottenham were also interested in Ndiaye, but City’s offer of £60m up front plus £5m in potential add-ons proved the more attractive proposal.
“I’ve worked my whole life for an opportunity like this,” the City new boy said. “City are one of the best clubs in the world and I’ve seen them win everything as I’ve grown up.
“To be able to write my own chapter in a story that special is the chance of a lifetime and I’m determined to grab it with both hands.
“It’s not always been easy in my career, but I always had the belief that I could play for a team challenging for the biggest prizes and now I’m here. It feels so good.
“I love to play with the ball on the floor in an attacking team that wants to score as many goals as possible. That’s why I know this is the perfect fit.
“City fans can rest assured that I will give my all to bring more success to this incredible club.”
City have already signed Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Allan Elias this summer.
In further business with Everton, City are understood to have agreed to loan Jack Grealish to the Toffees for a second successive season. The England international was on Merseyside to complete formalities on Tuesday.
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