Bruno Fernandes is at risk of once again missing out on his dream Manchester United midfield partner to Arsenal. The Red Devils captain recently admitted he was left gutted after Declan Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham in the summer of 2023 amid strong interest from Manchester City.
Fernandes had seen the England midfielder as the 'perfect fit' for United but Mikel Arteta persuaded him to join the Gunners for a club record £105 million fee. Without a dynamic presence like Rice, United have struggled to strike the right balance in midfield in recent years.
They are expected to recruit two or three new players in that area once the transfer window opens. One name being linked with an Old Trafford move is 21-year-old West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
The Hammers star is valued at around £50-80 million, though that will lower considerably in the likely event that Nuno Espirito Santo's team are relegated this season. The Telegraph reports that Bruno is a strong admirer of his international team-mate and namesake, having vouched for Mateus' credentials at United. Yet, the captain would be smart not to pin his hopes on another West Ham midfielder arriving, with Arsenal set to swoop in once again.
It was reported this week that the Premier League leaders were keen on signing Mateus in the summer transfer window. The Times stated that Arteta admires his versatility, given his ability to operate in deeper positions while also offering a threat further forward, similar to Rice.
Should he make the switch to north London, Mateus would have already won over their supporters, having squandered a glorious chance to put West Ham ahead against Arsenal earlier this month and dent their title ambitions. His effort was kept out by David Raya and Arsenal went on to scrape a 1-0 win, handing Rice a real opportunity to claim his first major silverware with the club this weekend.
United's Fernandes recently voiced his disappointment over Rice's move three years ago, saying: 'I admire him a lot first of all as a person, because I knew him from the Algarve when we were training together. I knew him already from West Ham and we knew the qualities that he had. I've always said that Rice was a player to play for Manchester United and I was really sad when he chose to go to Arsenal. I didn't know if there was the opportunity or the chance for him to come to Manchester United but I always thought that he would be a perfect fit for our club. Not just for the player he is but the person he is, the professional he is. He showed me that. And for his personality.'
