Liverpool, Manchester United tied to relegated West Ham star

Given that West Ham United have been relegated from the Premier League, following a 39-point campaign, it’s been expected that several of their key players could be set to leave in order for the club to shed expenses to meet the Championship’s financial guidelines.

While there were reports in late June that West Ham mainstay Jarrod Bowen could be one of the names to depart the London Stadium in the summer transfer window, amid interest from fellow London club Chelsea, there’s been another rumored player to leave: Mateus Fernandes.

Premier League giants are interested in the 21-year-old

According to TeamTalk’s Fraser Fletcher, the Portuguese midfielder has been given the go-ahead to depart the now-Championship side, with several Premier League clubs looking to bring him in during the summer, with the two chief clubs among them being Liverpool and Manchester United.

“Mateus Fernandes has been given the green light to leave West Ham this summer following discussions with the relegated Hammers, and while Manchester United are firmly in the race, Liverpool are closely monitoring the situation and pondering a firm move of their own,” states Fletcher.

If it’s the Merseyside club that were to pick up Fernandes, it’d certainly be one of the first moves to be made during the Andoni Iraola era at Anfield, with the Spaniard expected to join the club on a two-year deal. The Portuguese star would help bolster the Reds’ midfield, which could be set to lose one of their rotation pieces in Curtis Jones, who has been linked with a move to Serie A side Inter Milan.

The Red Devils, on the other hand, might provide a bit more for Fernandes, with the Mancunian side securing Champions League football for the upcoming season, as opposed to Liverpool’s qualification for Europa League action. It’d also give him a chance to share the pitch with fellow Portuguese star, Bruno Fernandes.

All in all, the interest comes after the 21-year-old wrapped up 38 appearances for the Hammers, getting involved in eight goals, scoring four of his own, and assisting in four others.

It is clear that West Ham is looking to capitalize on any interest in their star midfielder, as according to Fletcher, they’ve set an £80 million price tag on his services.

“West Ham, for their part, are demanding in excess of £80 million (€92.5m, $108m) for their star,” stated Fletcher.

If this is the price the Hammers have placed, it would be roughly double what they paid to acquire Fernandes last year, having paid £42 million to Southampton.

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