_**Claret and Hugh West Ham transfer exclusive:**_
West Ham’s transfer window doomsday clock is ticking down to zero: On 1st September when the window closes the lack of a pacy, creative and mobile midfield could well consign the club to bottom table scrapping and [Graham Potter](https://www.claretandhugh.info/graham-potter-cry-for-midfield-help-ahead-of-west-hams-trip-to-sunderland/) to extreme job jeopardy. Only four wins in 19 games and still no midfield makeover, Potter is surely up against it to bring in those ‘two new midfielders’ the club have promised.
The Hammers have been back and revisited the possibility of signing **Mateus Fernandes**, with yesterday’s reported revised bid going in at £32 million including add-ons.
From inside the club this morning, via [Claret and Hugh’s](https://www.claretandhugh.info/top-west-ham-source-reveals-club-are-ready-to-make-transfer-move/) high-ranking source comes the verdict when asked this morning if the club are confident of getting Southampton to agree to a compromise:
” _No, they want £50 million, total madness”_ was the response.
When pressed on reports that West Ham were willing to bid upto £40 million for Fernandes, the insider was emphatic:
_“That’s way too much, we simply don’t have it under FFP rules”_
Surely time to press on with other bids, with the never ending tick-tick of the doomsday clock. Having left it so late, West Ham were no doubt spurred into action after Saturdays’ awful defeat by Sunderland.
Whether there is time to bring in two midfielders before 1st September – has to be be in question as the Hammers have had since June to find those two players: Too little, too late? We’ll know for sure very shortly.