West Ham United are growing increasingly confident they could command a fee in the region of £70million for midfield star Mateus Fernandes this summer, amid interest from Manchester United, Liverpool and others, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.
Fernandes has emerged as one of the few major positives in an otherwise difficult campaign for the Hammers following his arrival from Southampton in a deal worth just over £40million last summer.
The 21-year-old arrived in East London carrying a huge reputation for potential, and TEAMtalk understands West Ham believes this season has fully justified why they pushed so hard to secure his signature.
Despite the club’s struggles near the wrong end of the Premier League table, which now sees them on the verge of relegation, Fernandes’ performances have consistently stood out.
His composure in possession, athleticism, tactical intelligence and ability to dictate play from midfield have attracted growing admiration from across England and Europe.
As TEAMtalk previously revealed, Man Utd have been monitoring Fernandes closely for much of the season as they continue plans to strengthen centrally ahead of Michael Carrick’s first full campaign in permanent charge.
However, Man Utd are far from alone in the race, with four Premier League rivals also keen on the playmaker.
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Four rival enquiries launched for Man Utd target
TEAMtalk can now confirm Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have all made enquiries regarding Fernandes’ situation in recent weeks as the race for elite young midfielders intensifies.
Arsenal are understood to appreciate Fernandes’ technical profile and versatility, while Chelsea’s recruitment staff view him as a player who fits their strategy of targeting young, high-upside talent capable of becoming long-term cornerstones.
Manchester City have also tracked the Portuguese midfielder extensively and sources indicate his ability to operate in multiple midfield roles has made him particularly attractive to Pep Guardiola’s recruitment team.
Interest is also emerging from abroad.
Paris Saint-Germain are among the European clubs monitoring Fernandes closely, although TEAMtalk understands West Ham’s valuation is already proving a major consideration for several potential suitors.
And crucially, West Ham have no intention of allowing Fernandes to leave cheaply, regardless of how their season finishes.
TEAMtalk transfer insider Graeme Bailey revealed the growing confidence inside the London Stadium surrounding Fernandes’ value.
“Speaking to West Ham, they know that relegation is a subject they might have to talk about very soon,” Bailey explained.
“But when talking about Fernandes, they made an interesting point to me and that even if they are relegated, anyone coming for him is buying a Premier League player, not a Championship one.”
“He has shown this season just how good he is and they firmly believe he has a price-tag reflective of that.”
“Whilst no exact figure is being put on him, I believe they will be looking for around £70million and if they do stick to that, it does limit who will buy him.”
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West Ham believe Fernandes stance is justified
TEAMtalk understands West Ham’s hierarchy believe Fernandes’ age, Premier League adaptation and long-term ceiling justify their stance.
Internally, there is a strong feeling the midfielder could develop into one of Europe’s elite central players over the next few seasons if his trajectory continues.
The Hammers also believe the current market for young midfielders heavily favours sellers, particularly when dealing with players already proven in English football.
West Ham would ideally like to build around the Portugal Under-21 international moving forward, but there is acceptance internally that will only happen if they stay up.
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