In the closing minutes of the summer transfer window, Enzo Fernández’s transfer from Chelsea was officially confirmed – here he talks to CITY MAGAZINE about his hopes for the future – and the role he intends to play in ensuring the trophies keep coming…

Nobody would doubt that Enzo Fernández is a fighter. At 25, he is the veteran of two World Cup finals, almost 300 career matches at club level and he has a half-century of caps for Argentina.

Now he is a Manchester City player and has arrived with a goal of helping the Club win as many trophies as possible by fighting for each and every title.

Enzo joins City’s long list of illustrious Argentine stars.

We’ve seen the warrior spirit of players like Pablo Zabaleta, Carlos Tevez, Nicolas Otamendi, Julián Álvarez and, of course, Sergio Aguero, to know what to expect from any player born in Argentina.

And Fernández is no different and, if anything, typifies that feisty, never-say-die attitude that has become the trademark of all Argentinean footballers.

But why?

"It’s something that characterises us. We don’t want to lose at anything; we want to win at everything we play."

It is a question we ask Enzo – and one he is happy to try and explain…

“Well, by nature, Argentines are very into football, very passionate and hot-headed when they lose,” he says.

“It’s something that characterises us. We don’t want to lose at anything; we want to win at everything we play. And well, it’s a source of pride to be Argentine and to feel that  passion.”

Almost all City’s Argentinian stars hail from Buenos Aires – the nation’s vibrant capital that is home to more than three million people in the city itself, stretching up to 17 million in the wider urban area.

What is it about Buenos Aires that has provided a production line of top footballers for so many years?

“Honestly, it’s a very passionate city too, with lots of teams that love football,” Enzo explains.

"I used to watch him and wanted to be able to play with him someday, to be like him - and the truth is that a lot of things [I’d dreamed of] ended up happening for me with him in the national team."

“A huge number of players come from there in Argentina, and it’s a city where football is experienced with a lot of passion. We players try to take that passion and transmit it to the people, both at our clubs and with our national team.”

Fernández hails from San Martin, close to the heart of Buenos Aires and it was on the streets and fields around the family home that he would play with his four brothers and dream of one day represent La Albiceleste – the nickname of the Argentina national team.

And by the time he was five or six, there was only one player he wanted to emulate… “Leo Messi,” he smiles.

“Did I want to be him? Yes, obviously! I used to watch him and wanted to be able to play with him someday, to be like him - and the truth is that a lot of things [I’d dreamed of] ended up happening for me with him in the national team. Obviously, he was always an inspiration for me.”

But Enzo would be the first to admit that his playing style is different – as are the majority of footballers – than Messi’s uniquely gifted style that is unlikely to be ever emulated.

So, did that affect/influence where he played on the pitch for an early age?

“I started as a central midfielder, and I began to play in several more advanced positions, as well as in a double-pivot role with another midfielder,” he said.

“But my role was always to be a central midfielder. Now, though, I like getting into the box and scoring goals.”

The former River Plate, Benfica and Chelsea star has gradually become more of a threat in the box as time has gone on.

Indeed, his last three seasons with Chelsea saw him score seven goals (2023/24), nine goals (2024/25) and a career-high of 15 goals last season.

That suggests City are signing a player who, while predominantly a central midfielder, is getting better and more of a threat in the box with each passing year.

And it is that sort of quality that made Enzo Maresca determined to have Fernández join him at City.

“He is a top manager, honestly,” he says.

“I had him at Chelsea and there were incredible moments. I learned so much with him. He’s very similar to Latin people, very passionate. So, for me, it’s a pleasure to work with him.

"Julián Álvarez is my friend and he told me a lot of things about the club"

“I’m also grateful because he was very important in bringing me here. So it’s a huge pleasure for me to work alongside him and enjoy it.  We were both very eager for it to happen, and I know it wasn’t easy to make everything happen.

“But I know he also made a big effort, speaking to the club, and I’m grateful that he did that. It was a long few days (before the transfer window closed], but in the end I’m here and I’m very happy to be joining City.”

And what did Fernández know about City before his arrival?

He has played with some of our former players in the national team, of course, but one in particular gave City a glowing review.

“Julián Álvarez is my friend and he told me a lot of things about the club,” he said.

“It was a very important factor in helping me learn a little bit about what the club was like and what it meant. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here.

“Without a doubt, there’s a great squad here at the club, and surely there will be a lot of success together. We need to enjoy it because that’s the most important thing and always stay together and united.”

Enzo made his debut in the narrow 1-0 win over Coventry City and grabbed a vital assist in the 2-0 Champions League win away to Porto a few days later as he got his time with the Blues off to the perfect start.

The warmth he has felt from the City fans since his arrival has made him doubly determined to help the Club win silverware as soon as possible.

He said: “I want to thank them for the welcome. I’m honestly feeling at home, and that is very important for a player’s confidence. I want to tell them that I’m going to give 100% every day, in every training session and every match, to help this club achieve all its objectives throughout the season, win many trophies together and enjoy it.”

Fight to the end. Manchester City know no other way…

Feature: David Clayton

Bournemouth v City

Dean Court | Division Two | Saturday 13 February 1999

We’ve all heard the chants: “Where were you when”… well there’s no need to go much further with that.

In fact, there’s no need to go any further with the whole conversation as those with any football perception knows exactly how the City fans stuck by the Club when we were at our lowest ebb.

Our only season in the third tier of English football was in 1998/99 and the supporters were there in huge numbers for every part of that unforgettable journey.

It was a memorable campaign not just for City supporters, but also some of the clubs who were delighted to welcome a giant to town.

Take Bournemouth for example. Since promotion to the Premier League a decade ago, their 11,300 Vitality Stadium is sold out every week.

But for City’s visit to what was then called Dean Court in February 1999, the 11,000 attendance would be their highest league attendance over a 25-year period (between 1989 and 2014).

Virtually half that number attended Bournemouth’s season opener against Lincoln, but like City, they were on the verge of the play-offs and crowds reached close to 8,000 and 9,000 for Christmas matches against Millwall and Luton.

That it’s a 500-mile round trip from Manchester only shows the remarkable commitment of the Blue Army as they swelled the crowd in such numbers.

We went into the game seventh in the table after a 3-0 victory over Millwall when Terry Cooke scored his first goal for City sandwiched by Kevin Horlock and Paul Dickov.

Indeed, we were on something of a roll – unbeaten in seven games following the infamous defeat to York City days before Christmas.

Thousands of City fans made the five-hour trip to Dorset to be there for the kick-off and the ‘Brighton Beach End’ behind the goal was rammed.

Thankfully the rain stayed away from the roofless terrace to spare a soggy return trip back north but there was still a shortage of capacity to accommodate the huge travelling support.

In those analogue days, hundreds of home fans were happy to sell their tickets at inflated prices to those that wanted to make sure the long journey was worthwhile.

It wasn’t the most rewarding trip of the season as City were forced to settle for a goalless draw against the Cherries in a game short of goal mouth action but remembered for one infamous incident.

City midfielder Jamie Pollock was sent off for two strong challenges in the second half and six minutes later he was joined in the dressing room by Horlock who was also shown a red card.

It was later revealed that he had been sent off for ‘aggressively walking’ in the direction of the referee.

Still City claimed a point – valuable that season and not easy to get these days either against a side that is now well established in the Premier League.

Now their 11,000 sell-outs are routine but it was a rarity when City filled the stadium nearly three decades ago.

Words by Jonathan Smith

That is the German word for impressive, which Carlotta Wamser has certainly been in her opening five performances for City.

The 22-year-old joined the Blues in the summer, further bolstering an already incredible list of defenders at Andrée Jeglertz’s disposal as we look to fight for more silverware after a historic 2025/26.

Wamser is known for being a full-back, predominantly on the right side, but she hasn’t always practised her craft in that position.

A mainstay in Germany’s youth teams from Under-15s in 2017, her strength, tenacity and ball playing have been utilised by club and country all over the pitch.

From a winger to striker to defender, Wamser has approached each position, each task with an open mind and eagerness to learn.

But for her, full-back has always been her calling.

“I think the position suits me the best because I have strong one-on-one ability both offensive and defensive,” began Wamser.

“And I can give [the team] my tempo with the ball, counter-attacks, provide crosses and just overall I think it suits me well.”

And when asked what she feels is her strongest attribute, Wamser added: “I think my aggressiveness.”

Those attributes were certainly on show in our first League Phase outing in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League.

Wamser played every minute at left-back and worked tirelessly to help City fight from 2-0 down at Bayern Munich.

And hers, and the team’s, hard work was rewarded at the death when Wamser fired home our equaliser on 86 minutes, with the German in the perfect position on the edge of the box to score her first City goal.

And the boss was delighted with her goal as well as her overall progress and transition to life in England.

“She has had a magnificent start with us,” said Jeglertz after our draw in Munich.

“Coming in just been here a couple days and then almost thrown in to start directly. She has so much talent and she’s having already from the start the energy, the curiosity of adapting to other players.

“She played tough games in the league also and been one of our best players in these games. I’m so pleased with her but I also know there will be even more things to develop in her. Her first period has been about adapting to us and then after that we can talk about the next step for her.”

Nicknamed Calle, Wamser had only ever played in Germany before her move to Manchester.

SGS Essen, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Koln and Bayer Leverkusen were all important in her development as Wamser quickly became one of the most exciting young talents rising through the ranks in Germany.

In 2019, Wamser helped her nation win the 2019 Under-17 European Championship, her first major honour.  

She was also voted into the tournament’s all-star team, indicating how influential she was in Germany’s success.

Just six years later, aged 21 at the time, Wamser then went on to make her senior Germany debut at the 2025 Women’s Euros.

And it was a perhaps unexpected first cap for her, but an opportunity she took in her stride.

“Not so much because I think that what is good about me is I am a player who doesn't think so much,” began Wamser when asked what was going through her mind as she made her Germany debut.

“When I'm on the field I just play, do what I love the most and don't overthink it.

“I think that's a good strength to have too. So I felt like my debut was fine.”

And it was more than fine as Wamser helped her nation beat Poland 2-0 in their opening group game of the tournament.

Despite replacing an injured Giulia Gwinn late in the opening 45 minutes, Wamser looked instantly settled at full-back.

And so much so, she assisted the opening goal scored by Jule Brand.

“They [the team] were happy for me and said I did a good job,” Wamser continued.

“I like to take the next step and I want to achieve a lot in my career.

“Now starts a new life for me here and I'm really looking forward to it.”

Interview: Holly Percival

In our series looking at players who left the club too early, we go back to a favourite from the 1980s.

Fans are the ultimate arbiters of whether someone was sold too soon and there are certain players that make people sigh, shake their head and wonder what might have been.

Without fail, mentioning the name Clive Wilson elicits that reaction – a footballer that oozed class and elegance, but for the majority of his career away from Manchester City.

Raised in Moss Side, a goalkeeper’s clearance from our old Maine Road home, Clive was a Liverpool fan growing up.

He joined City’s youth ranks in 1979 and then made his first-team debut as a 19-year-old in October 1981 in a 2-0 League Cup victory over Stoke City.

But it was in the 1984/85 promotion campaign under Billy McNeill that he really established himself as a regular.

Making 33 appearances on the left side at full-back or wide midfielder, he was a major factor in helping us back to the top-flight, although injury forced him out of our last-day promotion clincher against Charlton Athletic.

He was a footballer of high intelligence, able to read situations defensively, clever with the pass and ready to offer an extra attacking option.

A step-up to the First Division was taken in his elegant stride and there were a couple of memorable goals that really showed his quality to compete.

Title challengers Liverpool arrived on Boxing Day 1985 expecting three points against a City side facing relegation.

The visitors dominated but Ian Rush and future Blue Paul Walsh missed several good opportunites and when a chance presented itself to Wilson, he made no mistake with the game’s only goal.

Injury would rule him out for three months but his next game led to a magnificent goal at Old Trafford that still brings a smile to City supporters.

Trailing 2-0 to Manchester United with 20 minutes remaining, Andy May’s cross was deflected and Wilson guided a stunning diving header into the bottom corner.

Seven minutes later, he turned provider for Paul Simpson although the winger never got a chance to finish with United’s Arthur Albiston lashing the ball into his own net.

Remarkably his second game since being out came less than 24 hours later when we were beaten 5-4 by Chelsea in the Full Members’ Cup final at Wembley.

City survived that season but were relegated the following campaign with Wilson’s 126^th and final game in the last day defeat at West Ham.

An offer had already been accepted for him to move to Chelsea and he spent the remaining doom-laden weeks back on loan at Maine Road.

He spent the whole of the 1990s in London, becoming one of the best left-backs in England with Chelsea, QPR – helping them to a fifth-place finish - and finally Tottenham where he was a reliable performer well into his 30s.

Somewhat surprisingly, he never got the call-up for England that he deserved although Stuart Pearce had nailed down the left-back position for the Three Lions for the entire decade.

Now in his 60s, he’s remembered by all his Clubs as one of the most consistent and likeable players of that period – and certainly he’s thought of that way by City fans.

Words: Jonathan Smith

CITY MAG: Johnny, what have you made of Enzo Maresca's City so far?

JOHNNY MARR: I like him. He seems like he’s his own man with his own ideas about how to play. 

Any of our new signings impressed you?

Iliman Ndiaye looks strong, and he has a direct style. Elliot Anderson already looks like he’s been at City for years. 

What would a good season look like to you?

You can’t ignore that it’s a transitional season given that a lot of players left and because Pep was so important to the whole ethos of the club, but we are looking good. I’d love a Premier League title, but I’d take an FA Cup win.

If you could create a City super band, who would be in it?

Noel Gallagher on guitar, Liam Gallagher on vocals, Jack Mitchell on drums, Iwan Gronow on bass, me on guitar and Mike Pickering as producer. 

Where are you based now Johnny and how often do you get to see games?

I’ve been writing the new album in London and spending a lot of time in Brooklyn, New York. I do get to games at home though and some occasional away games. 

What's your latest projects and any tours planned?

I have a new album called ‘The Age Of Everything’, which is out now.

Your connections in music are legendary - any upcoming bands City fans should look out for?

I like what I’ve heard from the Manchester band Westside Cowboy. Bleech too. 

As a musician, which City terrace chants have been your favourite?

It’s got to be “Johnny…Johnny Stones.” Who didn’t love that? 

Finally, what do you think about Oasis' Etihad residency next June and any chance we might see you take part?

Oasis just keep on getting more and more legendary. It’s good for the soul. I’ll certainly be checking in with them…

Thanks Johnny and see you at the Etihad soon!

My pleasure.

Interview: David Clayton

Following Jake Wain’s past and present teammates Top 5, next in the hot seat was Elite Development Squad versatile defender Charlie Courtman...

He was tasked with building his ultimate Top 5 list of his favourite TV shows.

Let’s see what made the cut…

Lupin

It’s based in France and it's a tricky guy that robs stuff but always gets away with it and it's based on a book that he was brought up and his dad used to read it to him. So, he re-enacts that into the play.

This City Is Ours

It's a Liverpool-based series about drugs and stuff like that. And it's just one of the main man's stories, how he gets to become the top boss.

Peaky Blinders

It’s based in Birmingham, that's good. I really like that to be fair. It's a family gang, how they move up the ranks, they become top dogs. And then the main character, Tommy Shelby, shows his life; how he had it all and then he gets a bit lonely.

Prison Break

That is really good. The main character's brother gets put in jail for a murder he didn't commit. So he breaks him out and it's a whole story of how he gets out and escapes from the FBI.

Outer Banks

I just think it's good vibes really. It's about teenage groups that are a similar age to me and they find treasure. They always seem to lose the treasure to a different character and then in the end they finally get it all back. So it's quite a good ending.

What makes a good TV show for you?

I need a strong first episode, you know, to get you into it. But I also like to commit to it and feel connected to the characters.

Interview: Alice Wright