West Ham Transfer Exclusive
The last few days have been filled with reports that West Ham are preparing a bid for Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
Depending on which source you follow, the Hammers’ first offer was lodged sometime between Sunday afternoon and Monday night.
West Ham are understood to value the player at under £30 million, though it’s unclear exactly how much was offered. Yesterday, however, reports began to emerge that Southampton value Fernandes at between £50–60 million—a hefty price tag for a recently relegated midfielder with only one season of Premier League experience.
Claret & Hugh approached a club source for clarity on the bid, but they were unsurprisingly reluctant to reveal details. When asked if West Ham were actively trying to sign the 21-year-old Portuguese international, the reply was brief:
“Negotiations are hard.”
Southampton have an eye watering valuation of Fernandez
Presumably, this refers to the sizeable gap between the two clubs’ valuations, which makes it unlikely a deal will be completed quickly.
Still, the fact the Hammers are bidding at all is a positive sign that the club is actively working to address what has become a glaring weakness in the squad.
Fernandes has already said he’s quite happy to stay a year and if he was to move his preference would be abroad
Give them JWP ,Rodriguez and £20mil
A year, or even six months in the Championship won’t help his value. Southampton will sell this window and it won’t be for fifty million. It’ll be thirty million and a raft of add ons for unlikely events like winning the Ballon D’Or
Straight swap for JWP would be ideal 😊
I think we have been priced out the market on Fernandes
We need to move on he is not worth that
If we are going to pay that we need to sign 2 players
Please do no sing Calvert-Lewin another player I am afraid is prone to injuries and past his best
If the Southampton valuation is truly £50-60 million then they’ll have to keep him. No club is going to pay that silly money for him.
Absolute nonsense, this talk of £50m. Southampton want £30m and the player is ours if we pay that figure. This is the usual West Ham “smoke and mirrors”.
Could get Tavernier for £30m maybe slightly older much more doable.
Or Bilal El Khamouss_£22.5m.
For defence Onyeduka.
£50m for Fernandes is outrageous looks like they’re playing the field.
At £50-60m its obvious that Southampton do not want to sell him and as he’s under contract fair enough,but they are forcing Fernandes to play in the championship when he is regarded as better than that.They will not get that sort of fee for him,unless of course Everton come in for him.