West Ham have had their £30 million bid for Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes rejected, according to Sky Sports.
The Saints have made a clear statement in not wanting to sell the Portuguese midfielder, with the club reportedly not willing to let the player go for any less than £50million.
Graham Potter is clearly looking to strengthen his midfield with more attacking quality, which West Ham are looking particularly short of at the moment.
The 21-year-old showcased his ability on Tuesday night in Southampton’s 1-0 EFL Cup win over Northampton, scoring the only goal of the game.
The Saints, who finished bottom of the Premier League last season with just 12 points, bought the midfielder for around £15 million last summer from Sporting Lisbon, and he has another four years left on his contract.
The attacking midfielder scored just two goals and produced a further four assists in the league last season, making the Saints’ valuation of the player quite eye-opening.
However, Fernandes boasts excellent ball control, with dribbling, creativity and work rate among his standout qualities, traits West Ham desperately need in midfield.
Should West Ham match Saints’ asking price?
While Fernandes’ age and attacking quality makes him an attractive prospect for the Hammers, a valuation of £50million feels far too high for a player with only six goal contributions in 36 league games last season.
Hammers News reported that during Sky Sports’ coverage of Southampton’s opening league game of the season against Wrexham, commentator David Prutton suggested that “if the price is met he will go, if it is not, as it stands, he won’t go.”
With the Hammers’ offer currently £20million off Southampton’s asking price, you can’t help but feel there is still room for haggling on West Ham’s end, and with the club able to offer Fernandes Premier League football next season, this could make the player more inclined to want to make the move to East London this summer.
Graham Potter has identified the player as his top target, according to the Daily Mail, meaning if he is part of the manager’s plans, West Ham should perhaps look to take a punt on the 21-year-old.