Arsenal transfer news: Gunners urged to beat Man United to £42m West Ham star Mateus Fernanandes
The latest Arsenal transfer news updates bring an exciting development, as former Premier League striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has publicly told the Gunners to beat Manchester United to West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer. Speaking on talkSPORT, Agbonlahor called the 21-year-old Portuguese international a “top, top midfielder” and strongly believes the club must act quickly for their 2026/27 rebuild.
He mentioned that West Ham will want to stay in the Premier League, but knew that wouldn’t be enough to keep a player of his quality. Agbonlahor even claimed that Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen will also leave the London Stadium if the Hammers get relegated. Fernandes, who moved to West Ham from Southampton last summer in a deal worth over £42 million, has played 34 Premier League games this season, starting 33 and picking up three goals and three assists.
Notably, Agbonlahor thinks Fernandes is better than the highly-rated Martin Zubimendi, and with Myles Lewis-Skelly now starting ahead of the Spaniard at Arsenal, Fernandes would bring real depth. Agbonlahor wrapped up by saying the Portuguese midfielder can choose any Premier League club he wants.
Does Fernandes solve what Arteta cannot say out loud at Arsenal?
From Arsenal’s point of view, tracking Fernandes makes perfect sense. Mikel Arteta has quietly set up a solid midfield unit, but it can look a bit rigid and struggle to create chances at times. Reports from The Times show he wants a more technical, creative player to pair with Declan Rice and Zubimendi. Fernandes, who drives forward with the ball and works hard to win it back, fits that style perfectly.
His main weakness is that he can go quiet when opponents sit deep and defend in blocks, but that is exactly the kind of issue Arteta usually fixes. For Manchester United, the plans are different. Bruno Fernandes has reportedly spoken highly of his teammate to the INEOS hierarchy, and United want to sign two midfielders this summer.
Even so, Arsenal’s early work on this deal, combined with Arteta’s specific demand for a technical playmaker rather than a traditional box-to-box engine, means the Gunners look like the better fit. The newest updates show this is a main transfer priority for Arsenal, not just a random name on a list.
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Why West Ham’s chaos actually benefits Arsenal this window?
West Ham are currently stuck in the relegation zone, and that tough reality gives Arsenal a serious advantage in negotiations. The Hammers spent over £42 million on Fernandes just a year ago and want to get around £70–84 million this summer, but dropping down to the Championship shifts the power completely.
Man Utd extremely close to completing £38m transfer deal
If Arsenal make a swift, straightforward offer instead of dragging things out, they can wrap this up quickly. United are keen, but they have a messy rebuild ahead with other players like Elliot Anderson and Aurelien Tchouameni spreading their focus. Current Arsenal transfer news suggests the Gunners are ready to strike a clean deal, and right now, moving fast is what will win the race.