West Ham 'key date' emerges in Mateus Fernandes exit saga as Man United wait by
West Ham United are bracing for the departure of Mateus Fernandes, with a potentially key date on the horizon.
It is simply a matter of time before the midfielder does move on, having starred in a side relegated to the Championship.
This would be the second time in two seasons that Fernandes has tasted relegation, having signed from Southampton last summer.
However, the form of West Ham as a side does not detract from his individual growth.
Scoring three times and registering four assists in a deep midfield role, Fernandes continued to shift through the gears in the Premier League - prompting interest from the likes of Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
The former are incredibly eager to secure a deal for the 21-year-old, and are not backing down in their pursuit.
Manchester United unwilling to back down from Mateus Fernandes pursuit
As they prepare for Championship football, the Hammers need to bring in £150million in player sales this summer.
With this in mind, the East Londoners believe that they can make over half of this up with the sale of Fernandes, who has been valued at £80m.
Thus far, United are looking to negotiate with this, and the latest report from Manchester Evening News suggests that they could be willing to wait.
A "key date" to keep in mind is said to be June 30 - the end of the financial year for the Premier League and EFL, meaning that books must be balanced.
Having recorded a loss of £104.2m last financial year, it could be the case that West Ham have to scramble in the final days of the month - potentially selling Fernandes at the last minute.
The report also states that there is a reason why Manchester United are not rushing to make an offer, with the Hammers potentially finding themselves under pressure to do a deal at some point, which would strengthen the Reds Devils' hand.
Which option would be best for West Ham as Fernandes deal lined up
At 21, Fernandes has sky high potential, having been described as an "absolute dream" by former forward Joe Cole.
However, the Hammers will have their own preferences, given the clubs interested.
On Friday, it was revealed that Tottenham are interested in the midfielder, having taken Mohammed Kudus last summer, and relegated the Irons at the end of the season - this is evidently an option that West Ham want to avoid.
But the same can be said for any English side, with fans surely not wanting to see him shine for another club in the Premier League.
On the continent, both Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have lodged their interest, with either of these surely being the preference at the London Stadium.