Leeds United and Aston Villa are reportedly keeping tabs on Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.
The future of the Saints star is up in the air following the club's relegation from the Premier League last season, with preparations now underway for life in the Championship.
Fernandes' standout performance amidst a disappointing campaign has led to speculation that he may be on the move this summer. Reports from A Bola suggest both Villa and the Whites are considering Fernandes as a potential addition.
Fernandes, a product of Sporting Lisbon's academy, still holds interest from his former club, which retains a 10 per cent sell-on clause. He made the switch to Southampton in 2024 for a fee of £13m and was a consistent presence in their Premier League line-up last season, reports Birmingham Live.
With three goals and six assists to his name last term, Fernandes couldn't prevent the Saints' drop to the second tier. Rumours suggest Fernandes is open to a return to the Premier League, but Atletico Madrid are also said to be interested.
Earlier this year, A Bola reported that Southampton's asking price for Fernandes could exceed €35m, potentially deterring potential buyers. Everton have also shown interest in another Saints player, Tyler Dibling.
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Discussing Fernandes' future over the weekend, Saints boss Will Still commented: "There's noise around him, but he's a good player. He's shown his quality over the past year, and there is interest - we can't lie about that.
"But Matty hasn't been very well and wasn't in the building the last three days and wasn't here today. It's as simple as that."
When questioned about the possibility of Fernandes staying at Saints beyond August, Still responded: "I don't think so. The price has been set, and if that price comes in, there'll be negotiations, but for the moment, nothing has been met, and Matty is still here. I hope he gets better and is back in on Tuesday."
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