The Argentina international has been identified by manager Enzo Maresca as a priority target to bolster City's midfield after a series of high-profile exits.

Chelsea is very much aware of Man City's interest and set an unofficial deadline for the deal to be completed earlier this summer at a minimum fee of £120m only for that date to pass.

However Man City are expected to return with another attempt to sign the 25-year-old before next week's transfer deadline.

Despite the situation, Fernandez remains available for selection for Chelsea's game against Luton Town in the Carabao Cup on Thursday, amid an injury to midfielder Moises Caicedo.

It has been a turbulent period for Fernandez at Stamford Bridge, during which he and his agent, former Paris St-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore, courted interest from Real Madrid, only for the Spanish club to issue a statement denying and attempt to sign him .