-
News
- 1 hour ago
Man Utd have a new Premier League midfield target – but there’s a problem
Robin Bairner
- 13 Mar 2026 05:20 CDT
- 4 min read
News
Manchester United’s search for a new central midfield player has led them to study a move for West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes.
The Red Devils will have a summer of transition in the midfield. Casemiro has announced that he will leave the club while Manuel Ugarte is liable to be sold. This leaves just Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes as senior options in the heart of the pitch – and both have also been linked with exits in recent months.
United have been linked with a string of big-money targets, including Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba, but according to TalkSport, West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is the latest name the Old Trafford hierarchy are giving serious thought to signing.
Current ETV
Mateus Fernandes
M (C)
West Ham
Mateus Fernandes
M (C)
West Ham
ETV Range
€20.8M - €25.5M
Mateus Fernandes: West Ham likely to want twice his value
Fernandes will seek to leave the Hammers in the summer if they are relegated, despite only arriving last August. He does not want to play in the Championship.
Price is likely to be a problem. West Ham signed the 21-year-old from Southampton in a deal worth €44 million. Though he has provided three goals and as many assists in 27 Premier League outings, his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) sits at €23.2m.
The Irons are unlikely to allow Fernandes to leave for much below the figure they signed him for. This means that they are likely to demand around twice the former Sporting CP midfielder’s value to conduct a deal.
He is a player whose price has been inflated since he moved to England. Southampton signed him from well above his ETV in the summer of 2024 before the Hammers splashed out on him last summer. His valuation has barely shifted since that point.
A defensive monster
Despite the price issue, there’s still an argument that Mateus Fernandes would be a smart signing for Man Utd.
According to data analytics firm SciSports, the Portuguese is among the best-performing central midfield players in the Premier League this season. In a defensive capacity, his output has been excellent, according to the experts’ data models.
SciSports also compares him favourably to Wharton, a player over whom there is likely to be a far bigger scramble this summer. Indeed, the Crystal Palace man is liable to move for a fee in the region of €80m+, making Mateus Fernandes a bargain option – even at West Ham’s inflated figure.
Fernandes has the defensive profile to replace Casemiro in the summer, and if Man Utd can justify paying €40m+ for him, he would be a good first brick to rebuilding their midfield.
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available in the Apple App Store. Download here:
