By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
Manchester United could be ready to hit West Ham with something of a transfer double whammy, with reports in The Athletic suggesting they want both Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville.
Last night, Claret & Hugh ran a story suggesting Manchester United were still delaying making their first bid for Fernandes and had let it be known through intermediaries that they were not willing to pay the £80 million valuation West Ham wanted for the midfielder.
However, David Ornstein’s piece today appears to suggest that the movers and shakers at Old Trafford are fully aware of the asking prices involved.
A £130 Million Double Deal?
Summerville is believed to be valued at around £50 million, which when added to Fernandes’ £80 million valuation would take the total package to an eye-watering £130 million.
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That is an enormous amount of money by Championship standards.
It is also worth remembering that these are arguably the two players most likely to leave West Ham this summer.
Whilst the club have pledged to try and retain key players, there will inevitably be some situations which are simply beyond their control.
Two Players Most Likely To Leave
With Fernandes’ agent Jorge Mendes already in discussions with interested clubs, it would be fair to say that the midfielder’s future is moving towards an exit.
The same can probably be said of Summerville.
Whether either player ultimately ends up at Manchester United remains to be seen, but it would be surprising if their heads had not been turned by the level of interest being shown.
A Significant Financial Boost
Look, nobody wants to lose players but the positive from West Ham’s perspective is obvious.
A deal of this size would provide the club with an immediate injection of working capital and a significant boost when it comes to complying with the Championship’s squad cost ratio regulations.
It’s no secret that West Ham are carrying substantial debt, although a cash injection from Daniel Kretinsky is still expected.
For now, it remains speculation rather than anything concrete but there is a lot of smoke coming from Old Trafford.
But if Manchester United are genuinely prepared to pursue both Fernandes and Summerville, then West Ham could soon find themselves considering one of the biggest transfer packages in Championship history.