Presented to the Hammers’ faithful ahead of kick off yesterday, Mads Hermansen became West Ham’s new number one with the unveiling of both the player and his squad number to London Stadium onlookers.
More details have emerged regarding the deal which saw West Ham part with just £15.5 million in what looks pretty good negotiating by the Hammers: Leicester City originally quoted £30 million for the Dane so full credit to whoever saw that transfer over the line.
However, abundantly clear to fans all of last season, the midfield is still without pace or creativity and urgently in need of recruitment before the window closes. Worryingly, the Hammers appear to have brought in players in reverse order to their priority, which means just six days remain before the Premier League kicks off and there’s still no sign of the desperately required midfield upgrade.
According to inside source exWHUemployee, that is all set to change before the Sunderland game.
Top target Southampton midfield prodigy Mateus Fernandes will be the subject of a West Ham bid following ‘Villa’s Jacob Ramsey’s reluctance to head to east London. As ‘Ex’s‘ report puts it:
“Fernandes was a sub for the Saints today and it was said that this was largely down to our and other clubs interest…I do think we will step up our efforts to sign him next week…I suspect a bid will go in for the player from us again soon”
Top of the shopping list now: Portuguese u21 international Mateus Fernandes
There’s a lot of competition for Fernandes’ signature, as one of several relegated players who is simply too talented for the Championship. Adding him to a revamped midfield squad including Freddie Potts and fit-again George Earthy would certainly give Graham Potter a welcome boost of pace and creativity.
Whether there is wiggle room from their reported £30 million-plus price tag will be another issue altogether and largely dependent upon who else bids.
Whilst Fernandes is Potter and Macaulay’s top target, they are more than likely to keep other irons in the fire – Leicester’s Bilal El Khannous has been mooted, amongst others – to attempt to force that Saints’ asking price down during the week.
Not Pelagrinii please
Not at the right age with no resale value
Sullivan
We must push for Gueye to complete our striker force,
At that price we can not afford to let him slip through our fingers
And yes sell then to bring in a couple of midfielders
Or maybe a defender
so whats really going to happen is we are going to lowball offer all week dragging it out someone else will bid bigger(Everton?)and suddenly there is not enough time to get a deal done before Sunderland we play the pacy trio Of JWP(just walking pace!)Soucek and Rodriguez and left wondering how Sunderland could break through the middle so easily…..then panic will set in Sullivan will find some money from somewhere and we get Brownhill in on a free with a wage of £120thousand a week.
Well- I would have said the same thing but after the Hermansen deal I have a little less cynicism and a little more confidence that ‘this’ recruitment trio can get deals over the line…
We are desperate for pace , need to shift Ward-Prowse & Rodrigues . Two younger pacey midfielders , would take Fernandes and Oniydikya . Players with ability and energy . That would be exciting, let’s hope 🙏. Still don’t know why we wouldn’t take a punt on Gueye , savvy business !
Totally agree Mark, but the issue is moving our expensive deadwood out.
I’d buy first and then sell to make sure.