‘Set to Beat’—The Favorite to Sign West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes Revealed

The Portuguese midfielder is drawing admiring glances from all around Europe.

Mateus Fernandes is set to leave West Ham this summer. | MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Manchester United are leading Arsenal in the race to sign West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes, a new report has claimed, with the Premier League champions unwilling to meet his over £80 million ($107 million) valuation.

Fernandes impressed for the Hammers last season despite suffering his second successive relegation from the Premier League, and is now drawing widespread interest from European royalty.

Man Utd and Arsenal have been regarded as the front-runners for his signature, but Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have also been strongly linked.

In the estimation ofThe Times, it’s United who are “increasingly confident” of signing the 21-year-old this summer. They are said to have leapfrogged Arsenal in the running, who are reluctant to pay the lofty asking price required to secure West Ham’s most valuable asset.

The Irons seem resigned to selling Fernandes following relegation and are looking to maximize their profit having bought the Portugal international in a deal worth in excess of £40 million. Southampton also boast a 15% sell-on fee inserted into the transfer.

United have already agreed to sign Éderson from Atalanta to help bolster an engine room losing Casemiro, but the club want Fernandes to be their second midfield addition. If Manuel Ugarte leaves this summer, they might have to dip into the midfield market once more.

While Old Trafford appears Fernandes’s most likely destination, new Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has allegedly demanded the Spanish giants try to sign his compatriot.

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Why Do Man Utd Want Fernandes?

Fernandes has immense potential. | Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images

There’s a reason the Red Devils are so keen on Fernandes. The Premier League Young Player of the Season nominee managed to rise above the mediocrity at the London Stadium last season, shining bright during a gloomy campaign.

The midfielder is an all-round threat, boasting a creative spark and the necessary tenacity to power around the field. He supplied seven goal contributions in the Premier League last season and averaged 11 defensive contributions per match, a rate only bettered by Casemiro (12.5) and Ugarte (14.5) in United colors.

What the Manchester giants are really paying for is potential, though. At just 21 and with two full seasons of Premier League experience under his belt, Fernandes has a remarkably high ceiling—whether as a box-to-box midfielder or more defensive option.

United need youth and energy in central areas next season as they prepare to juggle domestic and Champions League duties. If Fernandes joins up with his namesake Bruno, Kobbie Mainoo and Éderson, he should have plenty of opportunities to impress.

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Man Utd’s Other Midfield Targets

Man Utd are searching for reinforcements. | Marc Atkins/Getty Images

United are still assessing the midfield market, but appear likely to miss out on Nottingham Forest and England star Elliot Anderson. The 23-year-old is valued at around £120 million ($160 million) and appears set to join Manchester City, with the Red Devils unable to match the financial package their neighbors are offering.

Two other Englishmen feature on Man Utd’s shortlist. Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton has long been admired and could yet be on the move this summer, although he too might command an excessive fee. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is an intriguing option, but is also wanted by Arsenal and possibly Liverpool, while Carlos Baleba was once considered United’s priority midfield target before an underwhelming 2025–26 campaign with Brighton & Hove Albion affected his stock.

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