Liverpool have made enquiries over the signing of £70m-rated West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer, according to a new transfer claim.
A new midfielder is a must for the Reds, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Monaco’s Lamine Camara both linked in recent days.
Now, a new report from TEAMtalk states that Liverpool are in the mix to sign Fernandes from West Ham in the summer transfer window.
It is claimed that the Reds, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City “have all made enquiries” regarding the 21-year-old’s situation in east London, with journalist Graeme Bailey providing more information on his price tag:
“Speaking to West Ham, they know that relegation is a subject they might have to talk about very soon. But when talking about Fernandes, they made an interesting point to me and that even if they are relegated, anyone coming for him is buying a Premier League player, not a Championship one.”
“He has shown this season just how good he is and they firmly believe he has a price tag reflective of that. Whilst no exact figure is being put on him, I believe they will be looking for around £70 million and if they do stick to that, it does limit who will buy.”
Mateus Fernandes: A fantastic summer option for Liverpool
Fernandes has shone for West Ham despite their Premier League struggles this season, averaging an impressive 2.9 tackles per game in the competition this season, as well as registering three goals and assists apiece.
The Portuguese is understandably wanted by the biggest clubs in the country, and Liverpool should be viewing him as a great option alongside Wharton and Camara.
He has even been hailed by actor and Hammers fan James Corden, who has compared him to world-class Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha:
“Fernandes, I think, is an extraordinary footballer. He reminds me a bit of Vitinha, who is now at PSG, was at Wolves. I think Fernandes has that sort of ability.”
It remains to be seen how much Liverpool want Fernandes, or if rivals are ahead of them in the pecking order, but it is encouraging to see them being linked with a midfielder with a big future in the game.