Mateus Fernandes is becoming one of the most wanted midfielders of the summer, but his next move may not simply come down to the biggest club or the biggest contract.
The West Ham midfielder reportedly wants to join a project where he is guaranteed a serious starting role and can grow as part of a young, ambitious team, sources close to the agents industry have informed CaughtOffside.
That detail is important because the race around him is getting crowded.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle United are all monitoring the situation, while Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have also entered the conversation.
Man United interest remains strong in Fernandes
Man United have been strongly linked with Fernandes for weeks.
The Guardian reported that United are monitoring him as part of their midfield rebuild, although West Ham’s valuation of around £80m could be too high.
Man United may actually be one of the more logical destinations.
Michael Carrick needs midfielders, and Fernandes would have a clearer route to regular football than at some of the other clubs chasing him.
Competition from Europe’s elite adds pressure
The problem for United is that the competition is huge.
GOAL has reported interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, PSG and other European clubs, while recent reports claimed Jose Mourinho has asked Real Madrid to consider the midfielder after his appointment at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid’s interest is especially interesting because Mourinho likes midfielders with energy, tactical discipline and personality.
Fernandes fits that profile. PSG, meanwhile, can offer Champions League football, elite wages and a high-profile project, but regular starts may be harder to guarantee.
Fernandes should choose carefully. He is talented enough to play for a major club, but joining the wrong squad could slow his progress.
Among the clubs in the race to sign him, perhaps it is Man United who can offer him the most playing time, along with Champions League football.
“Arsenal have made calls” – Fabrizio Romano confirms Gunners interest in Premier League star
Unfortunately for Westham, when a team gets relegated their are all contract issues opening up with players missing out on bonuses etc..and Westham having to survive financial and contract issues.
Westham are therefore forced to sell most of their big players due to contract specs and players wages, ambitions, bonuses, marketing and advertising issues etc..etc..
They will be hands tied to unfortunately have to quickly sell Fernandes for under £40million maximum, due to the players contract specifying certain relegation clauses, which is to sell the players at normally half the players true market value.
So it could be anywhere under £40m possibly £35 million for Fernandes having a true value of around £65 to £70 million.
So he would have to be sold probably at half that value, which is £35 million.
This is due to the relegation clause in his contract. This half value is to ensure that he can demand the same or better wages with his new club with them having to afford his purchase price and his high wage demand for a now classed lower league Champions League player. That’s a fact. Sorry WH.
Dream on manc fan. Why would he go to that shower, when some of the Biggest clubs in Europe are chasing him. Breaking news Fernandes turns down Tin Pot utd🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well he’s definitely not going to Liverpool is he?! I mean, why would he go to a team that finished 5th below United, and is in decline with key players leaving? Your days of ‘Heavy Metal Football’ are over
What a terrible article. Fernandes is not far behind where Declan Rice was when West Ham sold him and he is still only 21.
If Fernandes is to be sold then the purchasing club will get a brilliant player who will only get better with further experience.
He can play in numerous positions and always gives 100%. He has pace , athletisisim and a wide array of other skills.
He has to be worth £80 million + and then the sky is the limit. I can see him being as good as or better than Declan Rice.
Omg – this could be the most ill-informed post I have ever seen.
arsenal needs a partner and a back up for Rice, from Fernandez can suit both and have more playing time still can play in advanced role as a 10 too so arsenal needs at least 2 midfielders say Fernandez and Tonali would look the better
So, basically, you’ve rehashed the stuff we already know and tried to present it as something new (with the addition of a made-up headline – since neither you nor anybody else knows what decision the boy has made). From my perspective anyway, it’s all quite simple… West Ham have put a price on the player – either meet it or shut up. It’s not hard…
Never read such nonsense Why would West Ham sell a player at under half his value