Manchester United are interested in signing Mateus Fernandes this summer, with West Ham's demands clear despite relegation

Manchester United may have to spend £80million to seal a transfer for Mateus Fernandes, although West Ham United could budge on that price after they were relegated from the Premier League. The 21-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding season individually at the London Stadium despite his team's troubles, with United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Arsenal amongst the clubs showing interest.

Michael Carrick and Co. appear set to substantially strengthen their midfield ranks this summer, with Fernandes amongst numerous names linked. Elliot Anderson, who is also coveted by Manchester City, appears to be the primary target with Nottingham Forest demanding £100million.

United are unlikely to spend such a sum on a single player, which could rule them out of the race, and a comparable issue could arise for Fernandes, although things may have changed. According to The Daily Mail, West Ham are seeking £80million to part with the Portuguese prospect – twice what they paid Southampton for him 12 months earlier.

But their bargaining position has weakened significantly in recent days, though, following relegation to the Championship. Aside from an 85-minute outing against Wolves, Fernandes has featured in all of the Hammers' Premier League fixtures since mid-March.

United are anticipated to bring in at least two midfielders ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, with Casemiro departing when his contract expires. Atalanta's Ederson appears to be destined for Old Trafford, with negotiations between the two parties having taken place recently.

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Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, Brighton's Carlos Baleba, Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni, and Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali are amongst a handful of midfield targets who could potentially be pursued instead. Fernandes' club teammate Jarrod Bowen has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford in the past 48 hours.

The 29-year-old appeared to pledge his loyalty to West Ham before subsequently releasing a fresh statement. "It's hard to post something like this when all you're feeling is embarrassment and pain, he wrote on Instagram.

"I could write loads trying to explain where it all went wrong this season, but honestly what you deserve from me is an apology. Winning that trophy in Prague was the best night of my career. Sunday was the worst.

"We just weren't good enough. Simple as that. And that's why the season ended the way it did. To the fans, you didn't let us down once. The support home and away never changed, even when things weren't good enough from us on the pitch. We should have given you more. You deserved more.

"One thing I know about this club is that it has the desire and fight to bounce back from this. This club belongs in the Premier League and deserves to be back there as soon as possible."

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