Maresca 'plays mind games' with Chelsea over Enzo Fernandez's £120 million deal.

Chelsea is pressing Manchester City to move swiftly if they intend to acquire Enzo Fernandez at the £120 million price tag. Yet, Enzo Maresca's sudden ambiguous remarks have thrown a wrench into the Manchester club's strategy.

Enzo Maresca appeared before the media on Friday, just hours before Chelsea's deadline for Manchester City in the Enzo Fernandez deal expired. The Italian coach quickly became the center of attention when asked about the possibility of his team making an offer for the Argentine midfielder.

Chelsea currently values Fernandez at £120 million, and according to Sky Sports, they have not received any official offer from Manchester City. The Stamford Bridge club demands that the opponent act before 5 PM on Friday, August 14th if they wish to finalize the transfer in the summer window. When asked whether Manchester City would meet the demand, Maresca simply replied: "To be honest, not today. I don't think we'll do anything today."

Maresca's answer immediately drew attention, especially when reporters noticed that he "smiled enigmatically" after this statement. This led the British media to question Manchester City's true intentions, because even if they didn't meet Chelsea's deadline, Pep Guardiola's side might still be plotting a different approach for the deal.

Chelsea does not want to drag out the story. If Manchester City does not accept the £120 million fee, Fernandez will likely continue wearing Chelsea's shirt in the new season and even through the winter transfer window. The 25-year-old midfielder still has six years left on his contract, giving the London club a significant advantage at the negotiating table.

Manchester City's interest comes amid uncertainty over Rodri's future. Barcelona has made an initial offer of £40 million, which was rejected, and is reportedly ready to raise it to £50-60 million. Should Rodri leave, Fernandez is seen as a suitable replacement. Manchester City is also negotiating with Lille for Ayyoub Bouaddi after spending £116 million on Elliot Anderson.

The deal is even more notable because relations between Manchester City and Chelsea became strained after the Maresca affair. Manchester City had to pay £17 million in compensation to bring him in as manager. Nevertheless, Maresca's latest remarks have not closed the door on Fernandez. His enigmatic smile only makes the race for the Argentine midfielder even more unpredictable.