Enzo Fernández left out at Chelsea as Manchester City pushes for $169 million move

Some absences explain themselves, and others smell like something more. Enzo Fernández missing Chelsea's 2-0 win over Luton Town in the Carabao Cup falls into the second category. And you don't need to be overly suspicious about it: right as Manchester City steps on the gas to sign him, the Argentine midfielder found himself left off the squad list.

What stands out is that just days earlier, in his pre-match press conference, Xabi Alonso had made it sound like a given that Enzo would be available. Then the plan changed, and the coach had to explain himself. No injury, no suspension: a pure tactical decision, according to the Spanish manager himself.

It was my decision, shared with the club. Enzo is a good professional. It was a decision I made. We'll see what happens on Sunday (against Brighton). We made the decision to leave him out because we assessed, both individually and collectively, what's best for the team.Xabi Alonso

The backstory here has a name attached to it: Manchester City continues to negotiate for the former River Plate man, in a deal that would run around 145 million euros (about 169 million dollars), according to what ESPN was able to confirm. That figure is significant even for a market that has been inflated for years now, and it reflects just how much the Citizens are willing to pay to reinforce their midfield.

On the player's side, the green light already appears to be there. Enzo has given his approval for the two clubs to move forward with negotiations, and everything points to a resolution possibly coming within hours. If the transfer is confirmed, the midfielder would reunite with none other than Pep Guardiola, or rather, given the context, with Enzo Maresca, his former Chelsea manager, with whom he spent a season and a half and under whom he was, in fact, the club's most used player.

What's next for Chelsea in the Carabao Cup

Beyond the transfer saga, Chelsea keeps advancing in the English League Cup. Having eliminated Luton, their next opponent in the round of 16 will be Leeds United, who themselves just knocked out Nottingham Forest. The winner of that tie will move into the quarterfinals, where they'll face whoever comes out on top between Coventry City and Aston Villa.

With Enzo Fernández's status up in the air and a deal moving forward at a steady pace, the question left hanging is simple: will he even play Sunday against Brighton in Blue, or does this odd absence from the Luton squad list end up being the first chapter of a farewell?