West Ham have set a 'triple your money' price tag for one of their star players as Man City shortlist him as a potential target.
West Ham set for intriguing summer window after relegation battle
The Hammers' alternative summer transfer plans are going to look very different, heavily depending on whether they're relegated from the Premier League.
There is reason to be positive, though, with the turnaround at West Ham being one of the most remarkable stories of the Premier League's run-in.
West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen celebrates after the match
A few months ago, this club looked dead and buried — seven points from safety, playing without belief, their fanbase at war with ownership.
Now they are only separated from safety by goal difference, with Nottingham Forest the only side standing between them and a place above the dotted line.
Nuno Espírito Santo deserves enormous credit.
Since the turn of the year, West Ham have lost just twice in 11 games across all competitions.
west-ham-nuno-espirito-santo-premier-league Related
Nottingham Forest star could be tempted to join Nuno at West Ham as Hammers plot relegation rival raid
Whoever survives the drop will be key.
They knocked Brentford out of the FA Cup on penalties last weekend, booking a quarter-final against Leeds. They beat Fulham in the league most recently, and the form table makes for very different reading to the one that had supporters fearing the Championship by Christmas.
But this week brings a cruel test of how far they have really come.
Man City arrive at the London Stadium on Saturday evening — and West Ham's most dangerous player will not be there.
Crysencio Summerville picked up a calf injury during extra time against Brentford and Nuno confirmed this morning the 24-year-old will miss the City game.
The Dutch winger, who has contributed seven goals in his last 10 appearances, is the player West Ham simply cannot replace. They have not won a single league game without him this season — six starts, six defeats, whenever he has been absent.
summerville
Nuno, speaking at his pre-match press conference, said he would be missed but backed his squad to cope.
The hope is that Summerville could return for their clash against Aston Villa (The Athletic).
On top of the Summerville blow, West Ham are fighting a fresh legal battle over their use of the London Stadium. The club insist they will win the dispute, but it is another distraction at the worst possible time — a reminder that even as results have improved on the pitch, the noise around this club rarely quiets down.
And now there is a new headache developing away from the grass, involving this weekend's opponents City.
West Ham set Mateus Fernandes price as Man City and rivals circle
The man West Ham will be desperate to keep hold of — midfielder Mateus Fernandes — has attracted serious attention from the Etihad.
mateus Fernandes
City have been closely monitoring the 21-year-old Portuguese star, and Sports Boom claim the Hammers have already set a price should a formal approach arrive.
City scouts are among those who have attended fixtures specifically to assess Fernandes in action, testing his defensive discipline against possession-heavy sides and his ability to control the tempo in competitive midfield battles.
Fernandes arrived from Southampton last summer and has quickly established himself as one of the division's most impressive young midfielders, even being called the 'most underrated' player in the league by some.
His 92 per cent pass completion rate in Premier League football has put him on the radar of clubs across Europe, with Man United, Arsenal, Atlético Madrid and AC Milan all keen as well.
The Hammers are in no mood to sell cheaply.
Should a serious offer arrive, West Ham are believed to want somewhere in the region of £55m to £65m — nearly triple what they paid to bring him to east London.
West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates
There is even an argument internally that holding on for another year could push his valuation toward £85m.
The cold reality though is this: if West Ham go down, conversations like this one will start happening whether they want them to or not.