West Ham Expected to Leave Mateus Fernandes Out of Pre-Season Return as Man United and Spurs Circle

Mateus Fernandes won’t be at West Ham’s training ground next Monday when the rest of the squad reports for pre-season. That’s not an accident. According to the BBC, the club has already decided the Portuguese midfielder won’t be part of that group, which pretty much tells you everything about where this is headed.

The 21-year-old is expected to leave the London Stadium this summer, and his agent Jorge Mendes has been in contact with both Manchester United and Tottenham. Fernandes doesn’t have a preference between the two, sources say. He just wants out.

The Price Tag

West Ham is holding out for £80 million. That’s a lot for a player who hasn’t exactly set the Premier League on fire, but the Hammers know they’re selling to desperate buyers. Tottenham is reportedly willing to meet the asking price, which would be a club-record fee for them. United is interested but hasn’t shown the same urgency.

Nothing official has happened yet. No bids have been submitted as of this writing. But with pre-season starting Monday and Fernandes not expected to show up, something has to give in the next few days.

The timing matters. West Ham is preparing for life in the Championship after getting relegated, and the players who didn’t go to the World Cup are supposed to be at Rush Green next week. Fernandes isn’t one of them. That’s a pretty clear signal.

More Exits Coming

Fernandes isn’t the only one heading out. Callum Wilson’s contract expires today, and he’s in talks with Brentford about a free transfer. He can officially sign with anyone starting next month.

There’s also the Jarrod Bowen situation. West Ham wants him to stay and lead the promotion push. They see him as the guy who can get them back up in one season. But there was a report on live TV recently claiming he’s headed to Aston Villa this summer. The club hasn’t confirmed anything, and Bowen is expected to report for pre-season along with the rest. For now.

The next week should clear up a lot. Fernandes will likely be the first domino to fall, and once he goes, it could trigger a few more moves on both sides. West Ham needs to figure out who’s staying and who’s leaving before they can really start building for next season. They don’t have much time.