United accelerate efforts to agree stunning deal for €65m midfielder after green light from club officials – report

Manchester United are stepping up their efforts to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United. United’s managerial situation remains unclear despite a promising start under interim head coach Michael Carrick. However, one thing is certain: a midfield overhaul will take place at Old Trafford irrespective of who is at the helm for the next campaign. A report suggests that United have already started working on getting the deal done for one of their midfield targets. Manchester United advancing in pursuit of Mateus Fernandes According to SportsBoom, Manchester United hold the most concrete and persistent interest in Mateus Fernandes. It is understood that the West Ham midfielder’s ball retention and vision have “established him as one of the Premier League’s most coveted modern box-to-box players.” United have identified the Portuguese as a “high-priority” target after their scouts “personally monitored Fernandes from the stands, specifically during matches against Bournemouth, Liverpool, and Fulham.” It is believed Fernandes has already passed technical and physical resilience tests with “flying colours”. Still, United will “continue to report on the player weekly” until the end of the season, as per “leaked information”. United have been on the 21-year-old midfielder’s trail since January, having already made “initial contact” with the London club during the winter transfer window. West Ham’s stance on Mateus Fernandes transfer revealed The “modern-day regista”, who has raised eyebrows with his ability to play between the lines combined with his exceptional ground coverage, is also being followed by Arsenal, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan. Amid growing interest, West Ham are expected to open negotiations in the €65–€75 million range.  Fernandes is on a long-term contract at West Ham, having joined them from Southampton only last summer. Still, the Hammers would find it difficult to keep hold of him if they get relegated to the Championship. Featured image Julian Finney 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 Vishal Singh Vishal has worked in the football media industry for over six years, planning, writing, and editing content for several major outlets, including North Star Network. Vishal has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person, he covers Manchester United — a club he has been religiously following and supporting since 2012. Vishal also manages a leading MUFC fan page, The Red Devils, on Facebook with over a million likes. Big fan of ball-playing centre-backs and Harry Maguire’s knee-slide celebration!