Liverpool have held a meeting with the representatives of West Ham United star Mateus Fernandes over a summer move, according to Caught Offside.
The Reds have had a poor campaign this year and are looking at ways to rebuild their squad once again ahead of next season, with Mohamed Salah set to depart on a free transfer despite having another year on his contract, while other players are also expected to move on.
Arne Slot's future at the club is also unclear, but that hasn't stopped Anfield chiefs from moving ahead with their plans to strengthen the squad, with one star already the subject of talks.
Liverpool Hold Talks Over Fernandes Deal
West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes celebrates scoring vs Sunderland
Fernandes, who has been described as 'elite', has been one of the standout performers for West Ham this season, following a £42m move from Southampton last summer, despite the Hammers' poor form which has seen them on the brink of relegation.
The Portuguese midfielder made his debut for the senior national team during the most recent international break, and is also being looked at by Man Utd as a potential option to bolster their squad.
It's understood that Liverpool are the team with the most advanced interest in the 21-year-old currently, with a meeting held with his agency Gestifute recently to discuss the terms for a deal and his personal demands.
“Liverpool have had a meeting with someone from Gestifute,” a source told Caught Offside. “They’re looking at Mateus Fernandes as a serious option in midfield this summer.”
West Ham are understood to want to keep Fernandes but know that he doesn't want to play in the Championship, and have therefore slapped an asking price of around £55m on his head.
Fernandes A Top Quality Midfielder
Mateus Fernandes
Fernandes has shown that he has the quality to step into the Premier League and that he has the potential to become a mainstay for a top club in the future.
Liverpool are looking for midfield reinforcements with question marks around the future of Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister, and an all-round stud like Fernandes would be the perfect option, and it's likely that he will be available for a cut-price compared to the market if West Ham get relegated.
GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT how Fernandes would fit in at Anfield, and to rate the chances of a deal happening this summer, and this was its response:
Fit at Liverpool FC
Natural No.6/defensive 8; suits Arne Slot need for a ball-winning midfielder
Strong tackling + long passing = balance for Mac Allister/Szoboszlai
Press-resistant, energetic, can anchor transitions
Concerns
Still raw; limited elite-level consistency
Not an elite tempo-controller yet
Chance of deal: 5/10
Interest depends heavily on West Ham United relegation + competition from rivals
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