Mateus Fernandes‘ performances for West Ham this season have attracted increased interest ahead of the summer transfer window.
The latest club to be keen on signing the Portugal international is Manchester United. Fernandes has also been linked to the likes of Chelsea and PSG in recent months.
That’s according to The Sun, who claim former Hammer and current Man United caretaker manager Michael Carrick is an admirer of the midfielder.
It also claims United’s Director of Football, Jason Wilcox, is keen on bringing Fernandes to Old Trafford. Wilcox is the man who brought the 21-year-old to Southampton in 2024 when he was Director of Football at St. Mary’s.
Fernandes’ West Ham future almost certainly rests on West Ham’s league status, with Premier League relegation remaining a real possibility with two fixtures of the season remaining.
If West Ham go down, then they will be forced to cash in on their most valuable assets after posting record losses of £104m in the last financial year.
That might still be the case even if the Hammers avoid the drop, but Premier League football and the riches that come with it will lessen the need for big player sales somewhat, boosting their chances of keeping Fernandes in east London for a little longer.
Boost for United in Fernandes race
Aside from the Wilcox link, Fernandes is represented by football super-agent Jorge Mendes, who has close ties with the fallen Premier League giants.
Mendes’ agency, Gestifute, were involved in the deals that saw United sign both Leny Yori and Manuel Ugarte in recent years.
That might give United the edge if something of a battle for Fernandes’ signature materialises in the summer, with several clubs expected to register their interest.
Man United have secured their place in the Champions League for the first time in four years, with a top-five finish mathematically guaranteed already.
The prospect of playing in Europe’s elite competition won’t be enough to tempt Fernandes, though, given many of his potential suitors will likely also be Champions League participants.
So it could be the Red Devils’ links with Mendes that might give them boost they need in order to make Fernandes a United player.
