Manchester United has circled back on West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes with a fresh contract offer, and the timing is far from coincidental.
The Red Devils made new contact with the 21-year-old in the last 48 hours and are ready to improve their financial terms, according to transfer journalist Matteo Moretto. United also plans to open direct talks with West Ham, though Tottenham still leads the race after weeks of advanced negotiations.
Moretto posted Friday morning that United is trying to jump ahead of Spurs, who have been confident about sealing an £85 million deal for Fernandes since midweek. The player has already given his approval to join Tottenham, per the reporter, but United’s late push could complicate things.
Ugarte’s World Cup nightmare changes everything
The renewed urgency makes more sense when you look at what happened to Manuel Ugarte at the 2026 World Cup.
Ugarte collided with Uruguay teammate Mathias Olivera while chasing Spain’s Pedri and appeared to catch his studs in the turf. He was stretchered off in tears, and early signs point to a long-term knee injury that could keep him out for months. Uruguay lost 1-0 and got knocked out of the tournament.
This is brutal for Ugarte personally, obviously. No player wants to go down at a World Cup. But it also throws a wrench into United’s summer plans.
The Athletic reported back in April that United planned to make Ugarte available for transfer. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was reportedly unimpressed with the Uruguayan’s performance against Leeds United in April and wanted him moved on. That exit now looks unlikely with Ugarte facing extended recovery time.
So United finds itself stuck with a midfielder they wanted to sell and scrambling to land the one they actually wanted, all while Tottenham sits in pole position.
Fernandes is the priority, but money talks
West Ham won’t make this easy. Fernandes has been one of their bright spots, and £85 million is a serious valuation. Tottenham has been pushing hard under Roberto De Zerbi, who sees Fernandes as a priority midfield addition.
United’s improved offer might sway things, but they’re playing catch-up. Fernandes has already greenlit a move to Spurs. The question now is whether United’s late interest and deeper pockets can change his mind.
Ratcliffe wanted to reshape the midfield this summer. Ugarte’s injury makes that harder, and the Fernandes chase just got a whole lot more complicated.
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