Manchester United contact West Ham over Mateus Fernandes as Ederson deal nears completion

Manchester United have agreed a £39.8million deal to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson and have already made contact with West Ham over a potential move for Mateus Fernandes, according to reports. The Ederson package comprises an initial £35million fee plus £3.8million in add-ons, with the Serie A club set to complete United’s first signing of the summer window.

With the Ederson deal edging toward the finish line, United have wasted little time identifying their next midfield target. ESPN reports that the club have approached West Ham about signing Fernandes, a 21-year-old Portuguese playmaker who joined the Hammers from Southampton last summer for a reported £42million fee. Fernandes scored four goals in four appearances during his debut season at the London Stadium.

Fernandes is widely expected to leave West Ham following their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship. The Daily Mail reported this week that the club would demand around £80million to sanction his departure, though suitors are said to believe there is room to negotiate that figure down.

United are not alone in their interest. Arsenal have also been linked with Fernandes in recent weeks, meaning the Portugal international could face a choice between Old Trafford and north London should both clubs firm up their pursuit.

United are understood to be targeting at least two midfielders this summer, with Ederson’s arrival pencilled in as the first. Fernandes is one of several names in the frame for the second slot, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães, and Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni also mentioned as potential options.