Manchester United have reportedly sent a firm transfer message to West Ham United.
According to The Mirror, Man United have told West Ham to forget about holding them to ransom over Mateus Fernandes.
Fernandes is increasingly expected to become one of the biggest transfer stories of the summer.
Despite interest from Real Madrid and Arsenal, the 21-year-old is believed to favour a move to Old Trafford.
The Hammers reportedly value Fernandes at around £80 million and are reluctant to lower their demands.
INEOS have dramatically changed the way United operate in the transfer market.
The days of blindly spending huge sums on big names appear to be fading into the past.
Over the last two years, the club have earned praise for a far more disciplined recruitment strategy.
That approach is unlikely to change now.
United are expected to push for a deal worth closer to £60 million rather than matching West Ham’s current valuation.
The modern transfer market has become increasingly inflated, particularly when it comes to young players already proven in the Premier League.
Elliot Anderson provides the perfect example.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder is currently one of the most sought-after players in Europe.
Forest value him at more than £125 million, which appears to be an extremely excessive asking price.
Fernandes is a talented central midfielder. He possesses solid defensive traits and also has the ability to play incisive passes forward from deeper areas.
His potential partnership with Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes is particularly exciting.
Having said that, the young midfielder is still very much a work in progress.
His talent is undeniable, but there remain areas of his game that require refinement and development.
Could he eventually justify an £80m valuation? Absolutely. However, he has not reached that level yet.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com