By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
The stars are beginning to align for the sale of Mateus Fernandes to Manchester United.
It is somewhat comforting to see the calm messaging coming from West Ham at the moment, which indicates the club will not be hurried or pressured into accepting a bid lower than their £85 million valuation.
The fact of the matter is that an offer somewhere near £80 million is likely to secure the Portuguese midfielder.
However, the club’s stance, coupled with the competition for his signature, has pushed Fernandes’ value from the £50 million bracket towards West Ham’s desired valuation.
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Manchester United Move Into Position
As we reported yesterday, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Manchester United were in talks with Fernandes’ agent Jorge Mendes.
Late last night, Sky Sports then reported that Manchester United were preparing a bid for the midfielder.
That would certainly tally with what Claret & Hugh were told yesterday.
There is now sufficient staffing in place at West Ham to facilitate transfer negotiations and, if the right offer arrives, conduct business.
Kretinsky Effect Already Being Felt
If there is one thing Daniel Kretinsky’s pending takeover has created, it is uncertainty among buying clubs that West Ham can be low-balled.
Under the previous regime, it had become common knowledge that David Sullivan was operating under pressure, with mounting debts hanging over the football club.
That inevitably weakened West Ham’s negotiating position.
Now the landscape appears very different.
With Kretinsky reportedly worth somewhere between £10 billion and £13 billion, depending on which newspaper you read, clubs should recognise that they are dealing with somebody who can afford to wait for the right price.
Finally Standing Firm
And that is exactly what West Ham seem to be doing.
The club have set their valuation and, thus far, shown little inclination to move from it.
Whether Fernandes ultimately joins Manchester United, Real Madrid, PSG or another interested club remains to be seen.
What is refreshing is that West Ham finally appear willing to stand their ground in the transfer market rather than accepting the first offer that comes along.
For a football club that has too often looked vulnerable in negotiations, that alone represents a significant change.