How much West Ham could pay in total to sign Mateus Fernandes as bid lined up
Graham Potter is looking to bring Southampton star Mateus Fernandes to West Ham to improve his midfield.
The Hammers have explored many options in midfield so far, but have yet to sign the perfect candidate.
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott has been linked multiple times this summer, along with former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, as the Irons look to move on from a disappointing 2024/25 campaign.
With the season fast approaching, Potter finally looks to have found his man in midfield in Fernandes.
Fernandes set to cost £43million total package
After Carlos Soler returned to PSG in the summer following his loan move, the Hammers have been keen to add more bodies in midfield.
Now, according to The Guardian (11 August), West Ham are preparing an opening bid for Fernandes.
The midfielder would cost around £30million after he signed for Southampton for half that price from Sporting Lisbon last summer.
Fernandes would likely be expecting a sharp pay rise from the current £20,000 a week that he is earning at St Mary’s [Capology].
| Player | Weekly wage |
| Lucas Paqueta | £150,000 |
| Jarred Bowen | £150,000 |
| Alphonse Areola | £120,000 |
| James Ward-Prowse | £115,000 |
| Max Kilman | £100,000 |
The 21-year-old could expect to sign a potential five-year deal with the Irons and would be expected to earn around £50,000 a week at the London Stadium.
Once his wages are factored in, his cost for a potential five-year stay in East London could be around £43million.
The Portuguese midfielder came off the bench for the Saints in their Championship opener as they came from behind to beat Wrexham 2-1 at St Mary’s on Saturday (9 August), and is not short of interest.
Fernandes caught the eye of many Premier League clubs last season and is one player to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.
Ward-Prowse’s time with West Ham could be limited
Ward-Prowse hasn’t lived up to expectations at West Ham following his move from Southampton.
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2024/25 | 16 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023/24 | 51 | 7 | 11 |
With the midfielder on £115,000 a week, the Irons could look to sell him to finance more signings.
Should Fernandes sign, it is likely he won’t be the only midfielder to join the Hammers this summer; therefore, Ward-Prowse could be moved on to facilitate further new signings.
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