United close in on £60m playmaker after major breakthrough in talks, Old Trafford is his “dream move” – report

Manchester United are in pole position to sign Mateus Fernandes after a major breakthrough in negotiations with the West Ham midfield maestro, according to an inside source. Fernandes 2.0 While Elliot Anderson has long been considered the primary target for INEOS this summer, there is growing acceptance that the Nottingham Forest and England star will choose Manchester City. Real Madrid’s state of turmoil, encapsulated by a physical fight between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, had given hope of striking a deal for either player — but this is not considered a likely prospect. An ambitious raid for Newcastle United’s talisman Sandro Tonali was also on the cards, but the Magpies’ prohibitive asking price has cooled interest in the 26-year-old Italian. This has led United to identify alternatives, such as Fernandes, who has enjoyed a superb campaign at the heart of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, despite their struggles with relegation. The Hammers are currently 18th, two points behind bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur with a much worse goal difference. Barring an unlikely turn of events, they will finish in the bottom three. The 21-year-old, who hails his compatriot Bruno Fernandes as an idol, has quickly risen to become a high priority for the Red Devils, particularly as West Ham’s descent into the Championship would slash their asking price. United’s captain, fresh from the best season of his career in a red shirt, is understood to have recommended his namesake to INEOS — with key figures at Old Trafford said to be in complete agreement. A well-placed source reveals United’s recruitment team have been blown away by Fernandes’ performances and underlying metrics. This is mirrored by head coach Michael Carrick, who “loves” the former Southampton and Sporting CP star. United are not alone in their admiration, however. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are keeping tabs on the situation at the London Stadium, while Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain made contact with the player’s camp last month. The Theatre of Dreams Crucially, Fernandes is said to see joining United as a “dream move” — a preference he has raised during negotiations with the club’s executive. “Roundtable understands that Fernandes sees the opportunity to join United as his dream move and is said to be very open to joining, with personal terms not expected to be an issue,” the report states. “As for United, they believe that a move to Old Trafford is Fernandes’ priority, based on conversations they have had with representatives of the player. However, Fernandes is high on United’s shortlist of central midfielders and is rated highly internally by the scouting department and Michael Carrick himself.” If West Ham are able to survive the season finale on Sunday — they face Leeds United at home, while Tottenham Hotspur welcome Everton to north London — then they plan to offer the Portugal international a new contract on improved terms. But if they cannot, a bid in the region of £60m may be enough to seal a dream move for the Olhão native to the Theatre of Dreams. Final Thoughts Fernandes is a quality operator with the ability to play in a variety of roles in midfield. He possesses a potent pairing of physical and technical attributes, and is known to have an outstanding work ethic and is a positive presence on and off the pitch. If United can strike a £60m deal alongside a big-money raid for one of their first-choice targets, such as Tonali, it would provide the exact injection of quality United need to fix their stalling engine room. Featured image Clive Rose via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.