It now remains to be seen whether the two clubs can agree a price to unlock the deal.<\/p>\n
If the clubs can reach an agreement, the deal is expected to be completed rapidly, with personal terms not an issue.<\/p>\n
While the clubs had not held formal discussions up to the current talks, Chelsea<\/a> have been aware of City’s interest in Fernandez.<\/p>\n Chelsea<\/a> set an unofficial deadline for the deal to be completed earlier this summer at a minimum fee of \u00a3120m only for that date to pass.<\/p>\n Fernandez could become one of the most expensive signings in Premier League history, behind only Liverpool<\/a>‘s \u00a3125m move for Alexander Isak last summer.<\/p>\n Fernandez maintains a positive relationship with Maresca, who left Chelsea<\/a> in controversial fashion on New Year’s Day and moved to Etihad Stadium in June.<\/p>\n It could potentially be the second time City break their transfer record in the same window, having paid \u00a3116m to recruit Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest<\/a>.<\/p>\n There have also been four major midfield departures, with Tijjani Reijnders sold to Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah for \u00a352m, while Barcelona have signed Rodri for \u00a365m, Newcastle<\/a> have agreed a \u00a352m deal to sign Nico Gonzalez and Bernardo Silva departed earlier in the summer before joining Real Madrid.<\/p>\n It has been a turbulent period for Fernandez at Stamford Bridge, during which he and his agent, former Paris St-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore, courted interest from Real Madrid, only for the Spanish club to issue a statement denying any attempt to sign him.<\/p>\n