Liverpool have reportedly already held talks with the representatives of West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
Yes, that’s right — not interest, not scouting — actual transfer talks, according to a report in Caught Offside.
For a player who is contracted to West Ham United and only arrived recently, I would certainly hope the player’s agents are not talking to other clubs.
According to the claims, Liverpool have already spoken to Gestifute — the agency representing Fernandes. The story has yet to be confirmed and Claret & Hugh will check with our sources, but it comes off the back of several players being linked with a move to Anfield.
The Mendes connection isn’t nothing
Gestifute, for those who don’t know, means Jorge Mendes — and that always adds a layer.
There are already links there with Nuno Espírito Santo and Pablo Felipe, so it’s not like this is a completely cold line of communication.
That doesn’t mean anything is advanced, but Mendes does have a reputation for moving players around, and that would appear to be the case here.
What does this mean for West Ham?
Liverpool have had a bit of a stinker themselves this season and Arne Slot is on the cusp of missing out on Champions League football.
That usually leads to a busy summer, and Fernandes — who’s been one of the few positives in a struggling West Ham side — is obviously going to attract attention.
With Dominik Szoboszlai the only Liverpool midfielder to really come out of this season with much credit, a rebuild in that area wouldn’t be a surprise.
And if Liverpool are already making those calls now, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on.

Seems like the fire sale has already started. The vultures are hovering but there’s still life left in those Irons! We really need to keep the Wolves at bay on Friday night and maybe those vultures will move on to another club on their death bed. A convincing win will do it. COYI !
If this is actually correct which I doubt west hams lawyers should issue a writ to Liverpools agent for tapping up ?
I would not listen to these evil stories if I were you. Sounds like another load of rubbish rumour. Such an action would constitute “tapping up” and Liverpool would get into a lot of trouble for it.
Slap a 100 million price tag on him. We’ll soon see who’s intersted then
An earlier C&H article about Liverpool talking to Bowen’s people was dismissed as something that always happens, why is the Fernandes equivalent more alarming. The truth is we will be lucky to hold on to either if we are relegated, but otherwise it would take some very serious money to buy them
Because one article is about future interest and another suggests they are in talks NOW . . . during the season which is not allowed