West Ham will hope to avoid losing star players this summer.placeholder image
West Ham will hope to avoid losing star players this summer. | Getty Images
Man United could look to steal a West Ham star this summer transfer window
West Ham United remain embroiled deep in a relegation battle and are fighting to avoid losing their Premier League status for the first time since 2012.
With nine league games to play, the Hammers are inside the bottom three on goal difference and are arguably the form side amongst those above them, with Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United also firmly within the battle against the drop.
Relegation often means losing key players and West Ham will hope that this fate does not befall them in the summer, with one star player already reportedly being targeted for a transfer exit.
Manchester United are hoping to be back in the Champions League for next season and will look to plan their summer transfer business accordingly, with midfield thought to be a key position of priority and a Hammers star reportedly rising in their considerations.
Mateus Fernandes set to leave if West Ham are relegated
TalkSPORT report that West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes ‘will seek to leave’ the club if they are relegated and is being targeted by Man United.
The 21-year-old signed for £42million from Southampton last summer and considering that he left the Saints after just a season following relegation, it is only logical that he will do the same once again – just with a higher echelon of potential suitors this time around.
Fernandes has been an impressive performer this season and the Portuguese has stepped up his game in recent months, bagging three goals and three assists and dominating games in the middle of the park. The Portuguese midfielder would not want to play in the Championship and could find himself at Old Trafford instead.
A move for Fernandes could cost as much as £56m - £65m according to Sportsboom, though it is worth noting that such a fee would break all kinds of second-tier records and could be reduced if the player demands an exit.
Fernandes could become huge Hammers sale - and important United buy
Man United are prioritising multiple midfield signings this summer and may view Fernandes as a player capable of shining straight away in the Premier League but with much room left to grow.
Other young midfielders such as Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba have often been mentioned but would likely cost more than Fernandes and see tougher transfer competition. If Fernandes shines for the Hammers in the latter weeks of the season, then he could see his name rise in considerations to become a top target for a massive club such as the Red Devils.
West Ham will not be keen to see their starlet leave but will recognise the value in selling him on for a significant profit after just a single season, regardless of which division they find themselves in next term.
Such a fee for one player can be enough to rebuild a struggling squad, and while West Ham’s recruitment has left much to be desired in recent years – just look at how they spent the Declan Rice money – the success of Fernandes has at least proven that they can get it right. Up on the Red half of Manchester, they will be hoping that they can secure the future of a midfield star who could yet grow into one of the league’s very best.
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