Amid all the excitement surrounding Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa, a deal to bring another rising star to Premier League strugglers West Ham United may slip under the radar this week.
As West Ham fight off a late Eintracht Frankfurt hi-jack to secure Magassa’s services – the Monaco starlet will join for an initial £14 million – Graham Potter’s midfield overhaul took another major step forwards on Thursday.
Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claims that Mateus Fernandes to West Ham is a ‘done deal’.
Confirmation is yet to arrive either from Southampton or West Ham United themselves, but Saints coach Will Still did admit during his press conference that Mateus Fernandes had decided to pursue a Premier League return.
So, with Magassa and Fernandes on their way for a combined outlay of £54 million, Dimitri Colau may find himself becoming something of an afterthought as the London stragglers close in on a pair of more high-cost, high-profile acquisitions.
According to Foot Mercato, West Ham are set to sign the highly-rated right-back too as a hectic final week of the window hits overdrive.
Paris FC starlet Dimitri Colau set for West Ham United medical
For the second time in two summers, West Ham are launching a raid on a Ligue 1 newcomer.
Mohamadou Kante joined from Paris FC last year. And Dimitri Colau will now follow in the footsteps of the 19-year-old midfielder.
French publication Foot Mercato claim that Colau is set to undergo a medical in the English capital on Saturday. The teenage right-back will sign a four-year contract, with the option of a further year.
Capped by France at Under-16 level, and versatile enough to play at centre-half as well as wide on the right flank, Colau will cross the Channel despite making only five first-team appearances for Paris Saint-Germain’s next-door neighbours.
Le Parisien add that Colau will play for West Ham’s Under-21 side initially, thus joining Kante in Mark Robson’s Premier League 2 set-up. There has been no mention of the fee at this stage, though. The teenager is under contract at Paris FC until the summer of 2027.
While left-back Regan Clayton looks to bounce back at Chadwell Heath from the injury issues which stalled the progress of a 2023 FA Youth Cup champion, Dimitri Colau will provide competition for Junior Robinson on the other flank.
Robinson started at right-wing-back in both of West Ham’s Premier League 2 fixtures so far this term.
Colau, meanwhile, was described as ‘the great French hope’ by France Antilles back in 2021. He is also a graduate of the fabled Clairefontaine academy, hoping to follow in the footsteps of Thierry Henry, Kylian Mbappe, Nicolas Anelka, Olivier Giroud, William Gallas, and Blaise Matuidi.
Southampton boss Will Still confirms Mateus Fernandes is set for West Ham transfer
While Colau is one for the future, Fernandes and Magassa will be expected to come straight into Potter’s team and make an immediate impact. In truth, they could hardly fare much worse than the much-maligned James Ward-Prowse and Guido Rodriguez.
“Matty is obviously a fantastic football player and a good human, but Matty wants to leave,” Still told the Daily Echo on Thursday. “Then it becomes incredibly difficult to keep him at the football club.
“I think the best thing for everyone is that he moves on and that he does what he needs to do, and we focus on people who want to be here, who want to build something.”
“Matty has been unbelievable for the time that he has been here. He is one of those others that has been put under pressure from national teams as well,” Still adds. “He wants to go to the World Cup next year, he wants to be a part of the Portuguese team, which I get.
“And if West Ham get him, they have got an incredibly good player.
