Manchester City players were keen for Enzo Fernandez to join the club before his £125m move from Chelsea, according to manager Enzo Maresca.
The Italian said several members of his squad had repeatedly asked about the midfielder during the final days of the transfer window.
Fernandez completed the British record-equalling transfer late on Tuesday after prolonged negotiations between the clubs. The move ended a summer of uncertainty over the Argentina international’s future and reunited him with Maresca, who previously coached him at Chelsea.
Maresca said the response inside the City dressing room had been positive.
“I can promise you that in the last four or five days four or five players in the squad were asking if he was coming or not because they wanted him to be with us,” he said.
“He’s a winner and when you belong to a squad and another winner arrives they are always happy. It’s very important that he is with us and we are 100% happy with that.”
Track Manchester City’s season here.
Fernandez is in contention to make his City debut against Coventry at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Maresca said the 25-year-old would not immediately join the club’s leadership group, despite previously saying he wanted to add “one or two more captains”.
City’s four captains are Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland, Marc Guehi and Gigi Donnarumma.
Maresca nevertheless expects Fernandez to bring leadership qualities to the team. “Enzo is ready. I know him quite well, I know what he can bring to the team,” he said. “He’s a winner, he has a winner’s mentality. He knows how to win – World Cup, Club World Cup.”
