West Ham may have already found Mateus Fernandes replacement with 'outstanding' transfer wanted

West Ham may not waste any time in their efforts to replace Mateus Fernandes this summer.

The Portugal under-21 international was always likely to leave East London after releagtion to the Championship.

After facing the same fate with Southampton last year, it's clear that he didn't want to play in the second tier.

The Hammers have ultimately granted him his wish to move on as a move to Tottenham went through.

A stunning £85million has been paid by the Lilywhites in a deal that looks great for the claret and blue outfit.

They now need to find an alternative for the 21-year-old ready for the upcoming season and promotion push.

West Ham could sign Championship regular to replace Mateus Fernandes

It won't be easy to replace the ex-Sporting midfielder after the quality that he brought to E20 in his one and only campaign.

The Irons may have been relegated, but he can certainly hold his head up high.

That has ultimately allowed him to seal a massive move back to the Premier League.

It's safe to say that West Ham are now shopping in a different market with The Star reporting on Thursday that West Ham remain in the race to sign Sydie Peck from Sheffield United.

They have kept an eye on the midfielder for a sustained period and could soon make a move after Fernandes' exit.

Brentford and Nottingham Forest are also interested in the 21-year-old, but with the recent injection of funds, the East Londoners could see them become the most active side in the race for the Blades ace.

Why West Ham want Sheffield United midfielder Sydie Peck

There is likely to be a number of midfield options to the London Stadium, but Peck is one of the options who has been linked for the longest.

He has been a regular at Bramall Lane since breaking into the first team in 2024 and already has 85 Championship appearances under his belt.

Chris Wilder described him as "outstanding" in a March 2025 interview on SUTV as his performances landed an England U21 call-up.

The midfielder has many strengths including his ability in the air and his eye for a pass.

He put up 10 goal involvements in all competitions last season, while he created 43 total chances in the Championship.

Peck can also track back as he chipped in with 196 defensive actions and 198 duel wins throughout the season.

That sort of box-to-box nature could be useful to replace Fernandes, even if they aren't exactly like-for-like.

The Hammers now have funds to spend, so it will be interesting to see how quickly they spend this summer.