A Sky Sports commentator revealed exactly what Southampton told highly-rated midfielder Mateus Fernandes about signing for West Ham this summer.
West Ham completed signing number four of a slow burn summer transfer window with the arrival of Mads Hermansen from Leicester City this weekend.
The fee for Hermansen is believed to be just under £18m if all add-ons are activated.
That takes West Ham’s spending to around £38m following the arrivals of El Hadji Malick Diouf and free agents Callum Wilson and Kyle Walker-Peters after his Southampton exit.
Although the Hammers have the activation of Jean-Clair Todibo’s permanent £32m move on this summer’s books too, which means spending is essentially up to £70m.
That is why West Ham have made it clear again that players must now be sold to fund further deals.
Midfield rebuild now Potter’s top priority for West Ham
Midfield is the next top priority for Graham Potter.
And it is easy to see why after the pre-season clash with Lille at the London Stadium.
The Hammers looked beyond average in the middle of the park against the Ligue 1 outfit.
Former Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse is West Ham’s biggest problem – especially as Potter continues to start the sideways passing set-piece specialist in every game.
West Ham have failed miserably to replace Declan Rice following his sale to Arsenal two years ago.
The Hammers spent a staggering £30m on Ward-Prowse and had brought in Flynn Downes prior to his departure with a view to him stepping up too.
But neither brought anything like the athleticism, power, energy and dynamism to West Ham’s midfield that Rice has in abundance.
Ward-Prowse was shipped out on loan and Downes was loaned and then sold to Southampton.
Other midfielders signed since such as Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez and Andy Irving are all said to be up for sale by West Ham.
What Southampton have told Fernandes about joining West Ham
Because Potter wants to sign at least one, if not two, new central midfielders before the window closes in three weeks.
Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey is a top target.
Unai Emery put the big West Ham decision in Ramsey’s hands this weekend.
The other reported top target is Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes.
Now what Southampton have told Fernandes about joining West Ham has been disclosed by a Sky Sports man.
The 21-year-old Portuguese star is one of the most highly-rated midfield talents in Europe.
So it is unthinkable he might now spend a season in the Championship with the Saints.
Sky Sports man reveals Saints’ stance on Fernandes
There looked to be huge encouragement for West Ham when Fernandes was named on the bench by lifelong Hammers fan Will Still for Southampton’s season opener against Wrexham.
Saints were losing 1-0 when Fernandes was brought on after an hour and helped turn the tide as Still’s side came from behind to win 2-1 at the death.
As he was entering the pitch, the Sky Sports commentator covering the game gave an insight on his future after suggesting he had spoken with people behind the scenes at Southampton about the interest from West Ham.
“Mateus Fernandes is another who is being linked with a move away and the Southampton fans are desperate to try and keep Fernandes here at St Mary’s,” the commentator said live on air.
“Easier said than done.”
Co-commentator Andy Hinchcliffe then remarked that if he stayed at Saints, Fernandes would ‘easily be one of the top three players in the Championship’ calling him ‘brilliant’.
The commentator then stated it would be the biggest success of Southampton’s summer window if they can keep Fernandes amid the interest from West Ham.
“The price has been set,” the Sky Sports commentator said.
“If the price is met he will go, if it is not, as it stands, he won’t go.”
Southampton signed Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon for a fee of around £15m less than a year ago.
He was one of the few shining lights in their dismal relegation campaign.
Now it’s claimed the Saints want to double their money on Fernandes if they are to sell.
It remains to be seen whether West Ham can get players offloaded in order to meet that asking price.
If the Hammers can pull off a deal for Fernandes, they will finally have a player fit to lace Rice’s boots.
