- West Ham are 18th in the Premier League with three games remaining
- Manchester United secured Champions League qualification following their victory over Liverpool
- Interest in Mateus Fernandes is expected to be high, whether the Hammers stay up or not
As things are, West Ham United are in a precarious situation. Whether or not they remain in the Premier League at the end of the season, a summer of change is imminent amid a relegation struggle and impending financial difficulties.
Regardless of the club’s league standing, some players will depart after the campaign concludes. As the season continues to unravel, following a 3-0 defeat at Brentford in the weekend just gone, which leaves Nuno Espirito Santo’s side 18th, the remaining three games serve as an opportunity for players to secure their own future rather than the club’s.
Naturally, if relegated, West Ham’s current crop will attract interest, with a number of players reportedly on the shortlist of clubs, both domestically and abroad, who could be available for cut-price deals. One of Iron’s few standout players is now being pursued by a Champions League team.
Manchester United eye Mateus Fernandes for Champions League rebuild
The Telegraph reports that Manchester United are interested in signing West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
United, who secured Champions League qualification on Sunday after edging past Liverpool, have identified Fernandes as one of the potential names that could lead the club’s midfield reshape.
According to the source, the Red Devils have been watching the 21-year-old closely this season, with that intensifying in recent weeks. The Old Trafford club’s interest is said to date back to Fernandes’s time at Southampton, before West Ham swooped in to sign him for an initial £38 million plus £4 million in add-ons.
Next season, their midfield plans – still in the works alongside the managerial process – only include Bruno Fernandes, whom Mateus respects heavily, and Kobbie Mainoo, who recently signed a new contract from the current squad. It has been announced that Casemiro will depart; Manuel Ugarte is set to follow.
As for West Ham, they would struggle to retain Fernandes even if they manage to remain up. Their Portuguese metronome has seen his star rise this season in both club and international football, with Portugal international coach Roberto Martínez handing the Sporting graduate his first senior cap in March ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
In recent weeks, French side Paris Saint-Germain have also been credited with an interest in Fernandes. So have Liverpool.
All-rounder Fernandes’ sale would represent an unwelcome future
Though the sale of Fernandes would be expected – and even understandable – should the club be relegated to the Championship, it would represent a fire sale that no one could have expected at the start of the season.
Fernandes, who ranks joint-third amongst Premier League players who have won possession 10+ times in a match this season, has been a revelation in his debut campaign at the London Stadium. The type of player that would command double the fee with another season under his belt, but relegation would accelerate any sale alongside other stars like club captain Jarrod Bowen and El Hadji Malick Diouf, who has also impressed since joining last summer.
