A number of Manchester Metropolis gamers needed to know if Enzo Fernandez can be becoming a member of the membership within the final days of the switch window as they have been eager to play alongside him, says supervisor Enzo Maresca.
The pair labored collectively at Chelsea and the 25-year-old Argentina worldwide joined Metropolis from the Blues for a joint-British file £125m on deadline day.
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Maresca mentioned Fernandez is “prepared” to make his Metropolis debut in opposition to newly promoted Coventry Metropolis within the Premier League at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
“I do know Enzo fairly effectively and I do know what he can convey to the group,” Maresca mentioned.
“He’s a winner – a winner’s mentality and is aware of learn how to win [after] the World Cup, Membership World Cup.
Maresca named Fernandez captain at Chelsea however confirmed Ruben Dias as the brand new Metropolis skipper, changing Bernardo Silva, who departed in the summertime, with Erling Haaland, Marc Guehi and Gianluigi Donnarumma a part of the management group.
Maresca added: “I simply mentioned he’s a winner and once you belong to a squad and one other successful participant arrives, they’re at all times completely happy.
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“I can promise you that within the final 4 or 5 days 4 or 5 gamers from the squad have been asking if he’s coming or not as a result of they need him to be with us.
“It is crucial that he’s with us and we’re 100% proud of that.”
Throughout an in-house interview on Thursday, Fernandez mentioned he had at all times “dreamed of being at a membership as massive as Metropolis”, which was seen as a slight on his former membership Chelsea.
Fernandez’s coronary heart has been set on leaving Stamford Bridge for the reason that flip of the 12 months and talks with supervisor Xabi Alonso this summer season couldn’t change his thoughts.
Alonso mentioned: “In soccer many issues occur. With Enzo we now have had conversations and at all times with respect. What he has performed for the membership has been nice, however now it is time to transfer ahead.
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“Now we have gamers with high quality in each place and now we’re able to go.”
Metropolis spent a switch window file of £458m on new signings, together with £327m on a revamped midfield of Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Wingers Iliman Ndiaye and Allan, in addition to back-up goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, have been different first-team gamers that the membership introduced in, though they recouped greater than £300m from participant gross sales.
Maresca added: “I’m very completely happy for the hassle from the possession, [chairman] Khaldoon [Al Mubarak] and [director of football] Hugo [Viana]. Very completely happy.
“Within the final days, Iliman and Enzo arrived, and now the squad is full – it is completed. Now it’s time to work.”