Arsenal and Man City enter Enzo Fernandez chase after Real Madrid pull out

Arsenal and Manchester City have both emerged as late contenders for Enzo Fernandez, with the Chelsea midfielder’s future at Stamford Bridge hanging in the balance. Fernandez’s agent, Javier Pastore, has confirmed he’s actively exploring an exit before the September 1 deadline, and the 25-year-old World Cup winner has long been linked with a switch to Real Madrid. However, the Spanish giants released a firm statement last week denying any interest, effectively slamming the door on a move to the Bernabeu. With Madrid out of the picture, Italian transfer reporter Gianluigi Longari claims both Arsenal and City are now “gathering information” on the Argentine. For Arsenal, this comes as they struggle to finalise a deal for Newcastle captain Bruno Guimarães, while City – despite recently breaking their club record to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest – are still weighing up options in midfield. Fernandez had been hoping to reunite with former Chelsea teammate Marc Cucurella in Madrid, but the club’s categorical denial has left him facing the prospect of staying put. Real Madrid’s statement read: “The club wishes to state that it has not made any effort, either direct or indirect, to sign Enzo Fernández, and has no intention of undertaking such an operation.” Whether Arsenal or City can convince Chelsea to sell remains to be seen, but the chase is now firmly on.