West Ham United keep tabs on Manchester United defender Alvaro Fernandez
West Ham have been keeping tabs on the future of Manchester United full-back Alvaro Fernandez, after Erik ten Hag held exit talks regarding a possible loan move, according to the Mirror.
The newspaper shared via their website on 23 August that West Ham are watching the defender amid offers from Burnley and Granada, while Las Palmas, Espanyol and Eintracht Frankfurt are also interested.
Manchester United are not keen on Fernandez departing permanently, as they believe he has the potential to be a first-team player within the coming seasons.
Planning for the future
It would be a surprise if West Ham were to take Fernandez on loan this summer without a view to a potential permanent deal somewhere along the line.
It seems unlikely that he would take the place of either Emerson or Aaron Cresswell (should he remain in East London) in the first-team under David Moyes, despite his talent, due to the manager’s preference to use experienced players.
Fernandez spent last season on loan at Preston in the Championship, where he impressed clubs by making 39 appearances and assisting four goals as the club made a surprise push for the playoffs.
The Spanish U21 international is definitely a talented player, but whether he is good enough to play regular Premier League football at this stage is still up for debate. Last season’s Championship campaign was his first in senior football.
Premier League football is a huge jump from the Championship and would be one he should be phased into rather than thrown in as a direct starter instantly – which would be Manchester United’s intentions when sending him on loan.
The push to sign another Manchester United defender in Harry Maguire did not work, but this could certainly be one to watch over the next week.
In other West Ham news, the move for Mohammed Kudus now hangs in the balance.