Real Madrid ready to pounce for West Ham player as £20m release clause leaked
West Ham United will be sweating over the futures of numerous players should the worst-case scenario come true this season.
The Hammers are in a serious scrap to avoid relegation from the Premier League as they are five points from safety with 16 games to go.
West Ham’s 2-1 win at Tottenham last weekend has changed the mood, but there is still an awful lot of work to be done if the London Stadium is not to host Championship games from August.
And while news of Lucas Paqueta’s possible exit from West Ham this month continues to dominate headlines, there could be far more movement should the Irons go down.
Mateus Fernandes on Real Madrid radar
It is unknown exactly how many players have relegation release clauses in their contracts.
According to a report from Spanish outlet Defensa Central on Friday, Mateus Fernandes is one of those who has one.
The report claims that Real Madrid have been made aware of this via a leak and are now keeping an eye on the situation.
The release clause is said to be in the region of £20million, which is half the price West Ham paid to sign him from Southampton last summer.
It is added that, while Rodri and Vitinha are top of Madrid’s wishlist, Fernandes is considered a more attainable target in that position.
Madrid are said to be primed to pounce if that release clause kicks in, but they are not alone in showing an interest as other clubs on the continent have been made aware of the situation.
How West Ham can avoid losing £20m+ on Fernandes
Manchester City have also been credited with an interest in Fernandes, who is under contract in East London until 2030.
While it is important to get big earners off the books if West Ham are relegated, losing £20m on a player in the space of 12 months is quite frankly shocking.
And that leaves David Sullivan and Co. with a huge decision to make this month.
West Ham could potentially land a fee in excess of £30m for Fernandes if they were to sell now, whether that be to a Premier League side or one abroad.
Otherwise, they will seemingly now lose him for £20m in just five months’ time.
Ultimately, though, West Ham will need to give everything to avoiding relegation and they cannot afford to just accept what seemed like the inevitable too long ago, and that is why Fernandes must stay.
Stay up to date this winter with our West Ham transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at the London Stadium, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.