West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United this summer, with a reported fee in excess of £80 million. However, United are currently unwilling to meet that valuation, while Tottenham, Liverpool, and Real Madrid are also circling the 21-year-old Portugal international.
Fernandes' Admiration for Bruno Could Prove Pivotal
One factor that could prove decisive in manager Michael Carrick's bid to secure Fernandes' signature is the player's admiration for his compatriot and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. The prospect of lining up alongside his fellow countryman could make United a more appealing destination, provided they can agree a fee with West Ham.
Fernandes previously showed his feelings towards the United skipper by recalling a moment from his time at Sporting CP's academy. He told CNN Portugal in 2024: "I remember one time when we [Sporting] were playing against Benfica, Under-16s. I'll always have that moment in my memory. He [Bruno Fernandes] was off the field. That is, we were playing on one field and he was on the other field watching the game. I don't know if it was him and Nuno Mendes, and I remember seeing him and, suddenly, starting to assert myself on the field, yelling at everyone, just so he would notice. I don't know if he remembers that moment but it's something that stuck in my memory."
Competition from Real Madrid and Spurs
Whether his admiration for Bruno proves sufficient to reject advances from the likes of Real Madrid and Spurs remains uncertain. According to The Times, Jose Mourinho has urged Real Madrid to pursue the Portugal international, who joined West Ham last summer for an initial £38 million from Southampton. It has also emerged that Spurs represent serious competition, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi reportedly pushing to bring in the gifted midfielder.
West Ham are likely to offload Fernandes following their relegation to the Championship. However, it remains unclear whether the club are under financial pressure to complete a sale this month to satisfy Premier League regulations. Fernandes made 36 Premier League appearances for West Ham, scoring three goals and providing four assists.
