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City hijack Ndiaye
Manchester City opened direct club-to-club talks with Chelsea to sign Enzo Fernandez heading into transfer deadline day, while the club agreed a £60m deal with Everton to buy Iliman Ndiaye after Liverpool turned down their approach for Cody Gakpo.
“opened talks with Chelsea over a deal to sign Enzo Fernández”
The Guardian said City’s hijack of Tottenham’s deal for Ndiaye came after their attempts to sign Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo broke down, with the Senegal international poised to undergo a medical after a fee of £60m plus £5m in add-ons was agreed with Everton.
The Guardian also reported that it had seemed Ndiaye would move to Spurs after they agreed a deal in principle with Everton on Sunday, but Richarlison’s transfer stalled on Monday.
In the same window, The Independent said Liverpool will not be selling Cody Gakpo after rejecting a bid of £75m from Manchester City for the Netherlands international, and that Arsenal were considering other options too as the deadline looms.
Sky Sports reported that City are pushing to sign Fernandez before Tuesday night’s 11pm deadline, despite City missing Chelsea’s August 14 deadline to bid for him.
Alonso, Maresca, and pressure
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said the club were preparing for all scenarios regarding Enzo Fernandez’s future, telling Sky Sports, "We are not sure, we are preparing for all the scenarios but I am sure that whatever happens from Wednesday we will have a good enough squad to compete in all the Premier League games."
The Guardian added that the Argentina midfielder wants to leave and has his heart set on a move to City, with Fernández having a close relationship with City’s manager, Enzo Maresca, who left Chelsea earlier this year.
The Guardian also described how Chelsea sounded out Roma’s Manu Koné and Monaco’s Lamine Camara as potential replacements for Fernández, while it noted City’s interest in Ndiaye followed Liverpool pulling out of an £85m deal for Gakpo.
Meanwhile, The Independent reported that Michael Carrick said Man Utd will ‘wait and see’ as the transfer deadline looms, and that a hectic end to the summer transfer window could be in store with just two days left.
TNT Sports framed the Fernandez talks as City finally opening talks with Chelsea over signing Enzo Fernandez, while also describing City’s plan to hijack Spurs’ Iliman Ndiaye transfer.
Deadline stakes and replacements
With Tuesday night’s 11pm deadline approaching, The Guardian said Ndiaye was poised to undergo a medical after a fee of £60m plus £5m in add-ons was agreed with Everton, leaving little time for Everton to find a replacement for one of their most important players.
“fee of £60m plus £5m in add-ons was agreed with Everton”
The Independent said Man City have agreed a £60m deal with Everton to buy Iliman Ndiaye after Liverpool turned down their approach for Gakpo, and that if Fernandez does leave, Chelsea may target a new midfielder with interest in Bournemouth’s Alex Scott as well as Monaco’s Lamine Camara.
Football London reported that any agreement for Fernandez would require Chelsea to have a replacement lined up, and it said an agreement in principle with AS Monaco is already in place for midfielder Lamine Camara.
The Guardian also noted that Chelsea have finally been contacted by City about Fernández, and that Chelsea set a price of £120m for Fernández this summer and may push for a higher fee with the deadline drawing close.
In parallel, The Guardian said Spurs moved on to other attacking targets and were poised to sign Mykhailo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea, with the Ukraine winger free to play again after his doping ban was resolved this summer.