Southampton look set to lose a second key player in just a week, despite a relatively decent start to the season for Will Still’s side.
It’s been an interesting summer for the Saints, and following their near record-breaking Premier League relegation, they’ve managed to recover for the most part with four points in their first three games.
There’s no denying that the Hampshire outfit still need to find improvements, and their 2-1 defeat to Stoke City at St. Mary’s on Saturday was proof of that. However, this is very much a work in progress first month for Still.
Nevertheless, selling players who will make a difference for Southampton will not help them in their push for promotion and now Mateus Fernandes looks set to complete his move to West Ham United.
Southampton set to lose Mateus Fernandes to West Ham
The Portuguese midfielder was absent for the Saints in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, but Still rejected the idea that this was because of any transfer interest.
Mateus Fernandes during Southampton FC v Fulham FC - Premier League
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
West Ham have been targeting Fernandes for a number of weeks, and they now look set to capture their man with a medical booked in for the 21-year-old, as per Mike McGrath.
He has reported that an agreement looks to have been made between Southampton and the Premier League club, and a move looks as though it is imminent.
Fernandes has appeared in all three of the Saints’ Championship games this season, picking up an assist in the defeat to Stoke last weekend.
The Saints will have lost two key players before deadline day
With the transfer window set to shut on Monday at 7pm, this is not the time for Southampton to be losing key players.
Tyler Dibling has joined Everton, after what has felt like months of negotiating between the two clubs, and Fernandes’ loss will feel even bigger now.
Tyler Dibling of Southampton during the pre-season friendly match between Eastleigh and Southampton
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
Finn Azaz is in talks to join Southampton, and he will replace at least one of those two. However, Still will be disappointed to see his Portuguese midfielder depart. He said following a win over Northampton Town in the Carabao Cup (via: Daily Echo): “He’s top, he’s top.
“I think he’d missed quite a bit of football, which is understandable, but since we’ve brought him back in, he came on and made an impact on Saturday.
“He’s back in the group, he’s back among the camaraderie. He scored a great goal tonight. We probably could have scored two or three more. I’m not quite sure why we’ve missed the one in the first half or couple in the first half. But we also know that he’s got that quality in him, he can make that difference, so it’s a positive.”