Manchester United are advancing to sign a highly rated Premier League midfielder, who has reportedly become a ‘high priority’ target for the Red Devil’s.
Manchester United’s midfield has been an area of the pitch which sparks debates within the fanbase whenever it is brought into discussion. However, all fans would agree on the need to bring in a couple of players in the summer to strengthen the position.
Under Michael Carrick, the midfield has drastically improved, with Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro both playing vital roles in this quick transformation. Both players are vital in United’s current setup, but sadly, neither is getting any younger, and Casemiro has already announced his departure at the end of the season.
Kobbie Mainoo has also managed to prove he has what it takes to play week-in-week-out in a Manchester United side and not look out of place. This has pleased both fans and pundits who were calling out for him to feature more under Ruben Amorim.
Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount seem destined to depart the club in the summer as they haven’t found their feet at Old Trafford to kickstart their careers in red. This means positive recruitment is essential in the summer in order to capitalise on a potential Champions League place finish.
United step up pursuit for West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes
According to a report from Sports Boom, Manchester United is now advancing to sign 21-year-old Mateus Fernandes from relegation-threatened West Ham. This comes after reports that the higher-ups at the club are looking to sign a midfielder with a more attacking-focus.
The Red Devils have identified Fernandes as being a ‘high priority’ target, which will come as bad news for Premier League leaders Arsenal, who are also interested in the Portuguese midfielder. The Gunners believe he would be an ‘ideal’ addition to their already dominant squad.
However, whatever club manages to secure the signature of Fernandes will have to do so for a hefty price tag, as the Hammers are set to hold out for an estimated fee of around £60m for their star prospect and top performers.
This price tag could fluctuate depending on West Ham’s survival in the Premier League, as they currently sit in the relegation zone of the division and have been flirting with the idea of dropping out for the majority of the campaign.
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What is Mateus Fernandes all about
Despite the Hammers’ lacklustre league performances this season, for Fernandes, it has been a solid campaign in an unimpressive team. He has picked up three goals and three assists in 27 appearances in the Premier League, but is usually the driving force in most of his team’s attacks.
The Portuguese youth international pulls the strings in the middle of the park, being able to pick out a pass as well as finding the back of the net on occasion.
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At only 21-years-old, Fernandes has already managed to rack up an impressive 66 appearances in England’s top-flight and will only get better with the more minutes he can rack up. In the long term, he could have a similar profile to Manchester United’s own Bruno Fernandes.
However, it is still early days, and there is still plenty of football yet to be played in the season and many twists and turns yet to come in a transfer story that already involves two of the league’s biggest clubs months away from the opening of the window.
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