United close in on Mateus Fernandes as Tchouameni remains a long-shot option

Manchester United are pursuing West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes as their second midfield signing of the summer, with the 21-year-old understood to be keen on a move to Old Trafford. The Hammers, however, are demanding around £80million for a player they signed from Southampton for £38million just a year ago, and United will look to drive that figure down considerably.

Club captain Bruno Fernandes has reportedly championed the case for his compatriot internally, and the fact that Mateus Fernandes is not part of Portugal’s World Cup squad means there is no logistical barrier to completing a deal. He featured for Portugal Under-21s in their 4-0 win over Northern Ireland Under-21s in Estoril on Wednesday, playing 64 minutes.

The pursuit of Fernandes follows United’s £38.3million agreement to sign Ederson from Atalanta. The 27-year-old Brazilian, who also misses the World Cup, is viewed as a bargain by Old Trafford recruitment staff, with the club having monitored him for some time. His arrival addresses the void left by Casemiro’s departure.

Other midfield targets have proven more complicated. Elliot Anderson, United’s primary target for much of the year, remains focused on a move to Manchester City, who have had a bid rejected by Nottingham Forest. Brighton’s valuation of Carlos Baleba is considered prohibitive, and Aurélien Tchouameni, the 26-year-old France international, presents a different kind of uncertainty.

United hold a long-standing interest in Tchouameni, but Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez moved to close down speculation earlier this week, publicly insisting the midfielder would not be leaving the Bernabéu. Nevertheless, sources in Spain suggest the situation is not entirely settled, with significant movement expected at the club this summer. Pérez faces a presidential re-election contest this weekend against rival Enrique Riquelme, and the outcome could influence Madrid’s transfer activity — including whether any high-profile departure opens the door for a Tchouameni exit.

A reported dressing room confrontation between Tchouameni and club captain Federico Valverde is among the internal issues that incoming manager José Mourinho — who is set to return to the dugout if Pérez retains power — would need to manage.

On the coaching side, United secured Michael Carrick’s entire backroom staff on new two-year contracts when the 44-year-old signed his own extension. Club sources have expressed satisfaction with the group’s impact, with Carrick continuing to be supported by Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate, and Jonny Evans.