How Enzo Fernandez's Move to Manchester City Ranks Among Premier League's Biggest Transfers
Manchester City completed their pursuit of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea just before the transfer window closed on September 1. The Argentine midfielder was a top target for Enzo Maresca, who is leading a significant rebuild at City during his first season in charge.
The £125 million fee makes Fernandez the first player ever to be transferred twice for more than £100 million. His earlier move from Benfica to Chelsea in 2023 also broke that barrier.
Where Fernandez's Transfer Stands in Premier League History
This latest deal places Fernandez as the joint-most expensive player in British football history, tied with Alexander Isak’s 2025 transfer from Newcastle United to Liverpool for the same amount. Liverpool's 2026 signing of Bradley Barcola might reach £123 million if all add-ons are triggered.
Aston Villa's sale of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea this summer set a record for the highest fee paid for an English player. Elliot Anderson briefly held this record after Nottingham Forest agreed to sell him to Manchester City.
Top 10 Most Expensive Premier League Transfers
- Alexander Isak: Newcastle to Liverpool, £125m, September 2025
- Enzo Fernandez: Chelsea to Manchester City, £125m, September 2026
- Bradley Barcola: PSG to Liverpool, £123m, August 2026
- Morgan Rogers: Aston Villa to Chelsea, £117m, July 2026
- Elliot Anderson: Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, £116m, July 2026
- Florian Wirtz: Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool, £116m, June 2025
- Moises Caicedo: Brighton to Chelsea, £115m, August 2023
- Enzo Fernandez: Benfica to Chelsea, £106.8m, January 2023
- Declan Rice: West Ham to Arsenal, £105m, July 2023
- Jack Grealish: Aston Villa to Manchester City, £100m, August 2022
- Sandro Tonali: Newcastle to Tottenham, £100m, July 2026
Anderson’s £116 million transfer matched Florian Wirtz’s record fee, but both were overshadowed by Isak's arrival at Liverpool the same summer. All top ten transfers occurred within the last four years, with Grealish’s 2022 move to City being the oldest on the list.
Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool each have three signings over £100 million. Aston Villa and Newcastle United lead the list for sales, with Newcastle adding Tonali's transfer to Tottenham alongside Isak’s departure.
Premier League Transfers Compared to Global Records
Globally, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe's 2017 moves to Paris Saint-Germain remain the most expensive transfers. These record fees, £198 million and £163.3 million respectively, are unlikely to be surpassed soon.
Outside those two, the Premier League dominates six of the top ten highest transfer fees ever recorded. Fernandez’s switch to Manchester City ranks joint-third most expensive globally, pushing his prior Benfica-to-Chelsea transfer out of the top ten.
Top 10 Most Expensive Football Transfers Worldwide
- Neymar: Barcelona to PSG, £198m ($252m), August 2017
- Kylian Mbappe: AS Monaco to PSG, £163.3m ($207.5m), August 2017
- Alexander Isak: Newcastle to Liverpool, £125m ($170m), September 2025
- Enzo Fernandez: Chelsea to Manchester City, £125m ($169m), September 2026
- Bradley Barcola: PSG to Liverpool, £123m ($166m), August 2026
- Morgan Rogers: Aston Villa to Chelsea, £117m ($157m), July 2026
- Elliot Anderson: Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, £116m ($153m), July 2026
- Florian Wirtz: Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool, £116m ($135m), June 2025
- Moises Caicedo: Brighton to Chelsea, £115m ($147m), August 2023
- Joao Felix: Benfica to Atletico Madrid, £113m ($143.5m), July 2019
