A deadline changes the mood of a transfer. It can force a buying club to decide whether interest is genuine or just exploratory. In this case, the reported figure of £120m is the key signal.
That is why City being linked carries weight. Few sides can absorb a fee like that without months of internal planning.
Even without treating the move as imminent, the logic is easy to see. Fernández is a high-level central midfielder with the passing range and control that suit elite possession football. He looks like the kind of player who can manage tempo, play through pressure and handle the demands of big matches.
Another report says City have already rejected a bid for Rodri, which makes this rumour more interesting. It points away from a forced replacement and more toward long-term midfield planning, depth, or succession thinking. That is a different conversation - and one richer clubs are able to have.
For Chelsea, the strongest detail is not just the interest; it is the valuation. By putting £120m on the table and attaching a deadline, they appear to be saying that losing Fernández would only happen on their terms.
The next step is obvious: watch whether Friday passes quietly or whether City - or any rival - turns interest into an offer. If nothing lands, the rumour may cool fast. If a bid arrives, this could become one of the window’s biggest midfield storylines.