West Ham must remain stern with Man United over Mateus Fernandes as agreement sets precedent
West Ham United must stick to their guns as Manchester United chase Mateus Fernandes.
The Portugal international has already been subject to sizable levels of transfer speculation after relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.
His performances in the final games of the season weren’t particularly great, as he seemed to accept his fate of yet another drop into the Championship.
He sealed a move away from the Championship last summer and could be set to repeat that with a London Stadium departure this summer.
Fernandes is wanted by Manchester United, but the Irons have been given the perfect way to set their demands at the top level.
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Manchester United to step up Mateus Fernandes interest
The 21-year-old was certainly up there with the Hammers’ best players after completing a move to E20 in the summer.
He became a fan favourite as the season went on and was key to keeping the relegation fight alive until the final day.
| Stat (Premier League 25/26) | Mateus Fernandes |
| Appearances | 36 |
| Minutes played | 3024 |
| Goal involvements | 7 |
| Chances created | 37 |
| Duels won | 199 |
| Defensive contributions | 368 |
It just didn’t turn out to be enough, and that looks to have opened the door for him to seal a move away from East London this summer.
Manchester United appears to be a likely destination, with ESPN reporting on Wednesday that they are stepping up efforts to sign the midfielder after agreeing a deal to sign Ederson.
🚨💣 BREAKING: Éderson to Manchester United, here we go!
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 2, 2026
Deal done with Atalanta for €45m package with add-ons included, agreement now in place.
Medical and formal steps to follow but deal in place.
Éderson will sign a four year deal plus option, as @TheAthleticFC reports. pic.twitter.com/NO4qxnbIAV
The Red Devils are edging closer to the £38million signing of the Atalanta midfielder, but still want to sign the Irons star.
Man United have made contact to sign Fernandes, but the claret and blue outfit now has a benchmark figure to work with.
How long can West Ham hold out for Fernandes sale?
It feels increasingly likely that the former Sporting man will depart the London Stadium once the summer window opens.
That doesn’t mean that the Hammers need to sell cheaply, even after relegation was confirmed on the final day of the season.
They must look at the £38m that Man United are willing to pay for Ederson, who only has a year remaining on his contract and use that to their advantage.
Fernandes has four years remaining on his contract in E20 and signed for around £40m, so there’s nothing standing in West Ham’s way of demanding a substantial fee.
West Ham United is delighted to announce the signing of Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes ✍️
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 29, 2025
Man United may have ironically shot themselves in the foot by signing the Brazilian from Atalanta, as it hands the Irons a leg up in the market this summer.