Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed that several Manchester City players were eager for midfielder Enzo Fernandez to complete his move to the club.

Fernandez completed a joint-British record £125 million transfer from Chelsea to Manchester City on deadline day, reuniting with Maresca, who previously coached him at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca said the excitement among City players was evident during the final days of the transfer window, with several members of the squad asking whether the Argentina international would join them.

“I can promise you that in the last four or five days four or five players from the squad were asking if he is coming or not because they want him to be with us,” Maresca said.

The Chelsea manager described Fernandez as a winner with a strong mentality, pointing to his World Cup and Club World Cup successes.

He said Fernandez was ready to make his Manchester City debut against newly promoted Coventry City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Maresca, who made Fernandez captain during their time together at Chelsea, said the midfielder’s arrival had completed City’s squad for the season.

Fernandez had expressed his desire to leave Stamford Bridge earlier in the year, despite discussions with Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso.

Alonso acknowledged the departure while praising Fernandez’s contribution to Chelsea and saying the club was ready to move forward with its current squad.

Manchester City spent about £458 million during the transfer window, including £327 million on midfielders Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The club also signed Iliman Ndiaye, Allan and goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, while recouping more than £300 million from player sales.