Manchester United are trying to land Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba to reinforce their midfield, but it will be far from an easy deal.
That is because of the Seagulls’ valuation, with the Premier League club demanding a British transfer record fee to let their midfield talisman go.
Manchester City’s entry has further complicated matters, which is why the Red Devils are keeping tabs on possible alternatives in case a move does not materialise this summer.
Among the names being tracked is Mateus Fernandes of Southampton as per Talksport. Amorim knows him well from his time at Sporting CP, with the 21-year-old coming up through the ranks of the club’s youth system.
Mateus Fernandes emerges as Baleba’s alternative
Despite the Saints’ dismal campaign in the Premier League last season, the Portugal U21 international earned rave reviews and attracted interest from multiple English top-flight clubs.
West Ham are reportedly in pole position, and have already seen their £30 million offer get rejected, with the team from St Mary’s holding out for close to £50 million.
United’s entry into the race could potentially drive his price up even further, with the midfielder currently having a contract until 2029.
“West Ham have opened talks with Southampton over Mateus Fernandes, talkSPORT understands. Fernandes caught the eye of a number of Premier League clubs last season despite Saints’ dismal campaign, which saw them only narrowly avoid setting a new record low points tally.
West Ham also in the race
“West Ham have been tracking the Portuguese all summer and have now formalised their interest.However, Saints have already showed they drive a hard bargain by rejecting Everton’s £45m offer for Tyler Dibling.
“The south coast side are likely to demand in excess of £30m for Fernandes, who is also admired by Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.”
Mateus Fernandes is extremely versatile, and can play all across the midfield, out on the wings and even up front. His passing quality and work-rate are seen as hugely attractive for potential suitors.
However, as things stand, the 20-time English league champions seem to be pushing for Baleba instead. Only if a deal does not materialise will United switch their attention to the Portuguese ace.
Feature image Dan Istitene via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
