Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Wed 11 March 2026 11:10, UK

West Ham United star Mateus Fernandes is a summer transfer target for Manchester United.

That is according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, who claims that Fernandes is on United’s radar following his £42million move to West Ham last August.

Since the Portuguese’s arrival, Fernandes has added extra running power and quality to West Ham’s midfield, as the Hammers aim to stave off relegation.

Although the East London outfit are into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and may yet stay in the Premier League for another season, their financial situation is a real cause for concern.

West Ham announced losses of £104.2m for the financial year ending 31 May 2025, meaning they will still have to sell players even if they survive. And that could lead to a West Ham exit for Fernandes.

West Ham’s financial situation may force Mateus Fernandes sale

In West Ham’s accounts for the last financial year, turnover fell £42.1m to £227.6m after a lower league finish, fewer live TV games, a reduced profit from player sales, and not having any European football.

If West Ham stay up, their biggest stars, such as captain Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, and Fernandes, may have to be sold to balance the books.

If they get relegated, there will be an even bigger fire sale as players flee the West Ham ship. And if big teams such as United are eyeing Fernandes, that could help the Hammers’ financial situation.

Incidentally, Crook said on talkSPORT: “[There are a] couple of other names that have been mentioned to me in the last couple of days.

“Mateus Fernandes at West Ham; I think he’s starting to play really well for them.”

While West Ham admitted they will need to offload players even if they stay up, things could be even worse next year with the 2025-26 accounts.

West Ham spent nearly £50m on the likes of Pablo, Valentin Castellanos, Adama Traore and loanee Axel Disasi in January as they tried to mount a survival bid.

It is uncertain how many of those will still be at the club ahead of next season.

Fernandes’ importance at West Ham grows

At the start of the season, it was painfully obvious that West Ham needed extra legs in midfield off the back of a 3-0 opening day loss to newly-promoted Sunderland.

Graham Potter’s team were run ragged by the Black Cats, while their midfield looked old and slow.

They have since addressed that with the likes of Fernandes, with the Portugal Under-21 international being utilised in central midfield, attacking midfield, and defensive midfield.

Fernandes has, on occasion, been used on the left wing and on the left and right side of midfield, as West Ham try to get him on the pitch as much as possible.

He has proven to be most successful in central midfield, with the 21-year-old’s three goals and three assists in 27 27 Premier League games all coming in that role for 18th-placed West Ham.

Fernandes impressed in West Ham’s fifth-round FA Cup win over Brentford on Monday, and if Nuno Espirito Santo’s team do stay up, he will likely have played a big part in that.