A long contract in England and a heart in Argentina

Only a few weeks had passed since one of the biggest deals of the summer when Enzo Fernandez dropped a bombshell. The Argentine star announced his desire to return to his boyhood club River Plate.

Those comments from the 2022 world champion raised question marks over his future at Manchester City, who signed him only weeks ago from Chelsea for 125 million pounds. The deal made him one of the most expensive midfielders in the world.

He has made a strong start in a City shirt, playing 10 matches and scoring his first goal in the thrilling 5-3 win over Sunderland in the Premier League. Yet the heart of the 25-year-old remains in Buenos Aires.

Fernandez said, in comments relayed by the "talksport" network from the newspaper "Los Edul": "I want to return to River, I have said this time and again, and every time I get the chance, I will definitely return, I wish for it dearly, and I will return at some point, it is something I truly wish for".

His tone left no room for retreat. "That's fine. I'll stand by this statement. If I say it, it's because I really feel it. I need to return to River to win titles and enjoy the atmosphere of the club for more years than I have spent here".

For all the force of his words, Fernandez was quick to reassure City's fans and rule out any imminent departure. "I am here, I have a long-term contract with Manchester, and there is still a long way to go before that".

From River to City

Enzo stands as one of the most prominent graduates of the River Plate academy. He scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists in 53 matches between 2020 and 2022, winning the Argentine league and cup titles, including a successful loan spell at Defensa y Justicia during which he was crowned with the Copa Sudamericana and the Recopa.

From there he moved to Benfica in June 2022 and won the Portuguese league. He then caught the eye at the 2022 World Cup, scooped the Best Young Player award and sealed a record 106.8 million pound move to Chelsea.

At Chelsea, he played 170 matches, scored 31 goals, provided 30 assists and lifted both the Club World Cup and the Conference League. Rumours of a Real Madrid move surfaced in early 2026 before the Spanish club denied them. Manchester City then sealed the deal on the final day of the summer window, reuniting him once again with his former coach Enzo Maresca.