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Chelsea are ready to let Fernandes move to City, while Atletico Madrid are ready to fight Barcelona.
Two of Argentina's best players are in a similar situation. Both Julian Alvarez and Enzo Fernandez want to leave their clubs. The Atletico Madrid striker is dreaming of a move to Barcelona, while the Chelsea midfielder is considering a move to Manchester City. And both Argentines have come under intense pressure from fans in recent Premier League and La Liga matches. We take a look at the stars' situations.
In the first round of the Premier League, Chelsea hosted Fulham. Xabi Alonso's competitive debut was successful, the team won 3-2. However, one of the leading players of the Londoners, Enzo Fernandez, remained on the bench and entered the field only in the 65th minute. The Argentinean heard deafening whistles from the very first seconds. Every touch of Enzo caused discontent not only from Chelsea, but also from Fulham fans. Chants echoed from the stands, claiming that the Falkland Islands belong to England (referring to the dispute between the English and Argentines over the islands, as well as the banners displayed by the South Americans after the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup).
Important point: this is not the first time that Enzo has behaved inappropriately with the club. In the spring of 2026, in an interview with the Argentine media, he said that he would like to live in Madrid. Meanwhile, Real Madrid had expressed interest in the midfielder. And already at the end of the 2025/2026 season, Fernandes was criticized by Chelsea fans. It is unlikely that the Argentine's latest controversial move will improve their attitude towards him.
The morning after the match against Fulham, the media began to actively advertise Fernandes' transfer to Manchester City. Fabrizio Romano reported that the Manchester club plans to try again to sign Enzo after completing the sale. Manchester City are in daily contact with Enzo's entourage, and the Argentine is the club's main target. Meanwhile, Ben Jacobs stated that Chelsea will only sell Fernandes if they strengthen their squad. Among the contenders are Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Manu Kone (Roma, Roma), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) and Alex Scott (Bournemouth, Chelsea).
Meanwhile, The Athletic's Simon Johnson stresses that Chelsea and Manchester City still maintain good relations despite the departure of Enzo Maresca. The Londoners are waiting for offers for Fernandes. According to Fabrizio Romano, the player himself has already agreed to the transfer. The potential value of the transaction is 120 million euros.
Alvarez's situation is much more complicated. Julián was absent from the team for Atletico's season-opening match against Malaga. But that didn't stop Madrid fans from chanting insults at the Argentine. And before the first home game of the season against Villarreal, the announcer called out the players' names one by one. The fans greeted each player warmly, but when it was Alvarez's turn, there was a deafening booing. The striker, who was sitting on the bench at the time, didn't seem too enthusiastic, to say the least.
Julian came on as a substitute in the 66th minute. After the Argentine's performance, Atletico fans booed him every time he touched the ball. Another group chanted: "Tell him to leave once and for all." After the match, Alvarez was the only one who did not go to thank the fans. He went down the tunnel alone. Atletico's scarf also fell at his feet.
Although Diego Simeone later stated that the striker did not approach the stands on the instructions of the club management: "As the club staff told me, the management decided that he should not approach the stands and the fans. The club decided to keep him away from them and separate him from the rest of the team, so he went to the dressing room."
The fans' anger stems from Alvarez's desire to leave the club, which the striker publicly announced during the World Cup.
"Will the future be decided after the World Cup? Honestly, I don't know. But now is not the time to talk about it. At the same time, I am not going to hide or avoid the answer. I am trying to be honest and I have already spoken honestly with the people at the club, with those with whom I had to discuss this. I don't know what will happen. However, I think that a transfer is the best option for everyone. I want to fulfill my dream."
Alvarez did not name a specific club, but it is clear that this "dream" refers to a move to Barcelona. Julian is the Catalans' main target for the position of center forward. However, Atletico has repeatedly publicly stated that they will not sell the player to Barcelona. The Madrid club believes that the Catalans are using underhanded and dishonest methods to acquire Alvarez.
Atletico Madrid are also ready to let the player go to Arsenal. According to The Athletic, if the Londoners offer 150 million euros, there is a chance that they will part ways. However, the publication notes that the Londoners are unlikely to pay that much for Julian.
If Enzo's situation is to be resolved favorably, then Alvarez, Atletico and Barcelona are at an impasse. Neither Julian nor the Madrid club are prepared to compromise. Today, in response to Laporta's renewed interest in buying Alvarez, Madrid once again stated: "There is zero percent chance that we will sell him to Barcelona."
The Catalans are powerless against Atletico Madrid's stubborn insistence not to sell the Argentine to their club. And everyone suffers: the player, the fans and the team.