- Premier League midfielder wants Old Trafford move
- INEOS have preferred targeting those who are desperate for Reds transfer
- West Ham midfielder is on 11-man shortlist for this summer
The ethos at Manchester United under INEOS has been to acquire players who actually want to play for the club.
Trauma induced from the transfers of Angel Di Maria and Alexis Sanchez is a pale comparison to the likes of INEOS-bought Senne Lammens and Matheus Cunha, who would bleed for the club.
Therefore, the focus must remain on pitching the idea of joining Old Trafford for those who want to create a legacy, and not just a name with the Reds. This reason has been a major roadblock in United’s pursuit of Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, there are notably others on the 11-man shortlist who clearly want the move to happen.
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Fernandes Could Move On From Hammers
According to Jacob Steinberg via the ‘United! United! United!’ podcast, Manchester United would be the most ‘likely’ destination for West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.
Should the player leave and remain in England, it seems probable that the former Southampton man would head to Old Trafford. The Reds do face a fight for his signature, as both Premier League champions Arsenal and European champions Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the player.
The Hammers could be forced to sell some of their biggest assets in the summer. In a separate report by Steinberg for The Guardian, the prospect of relegation could result in “an even bigger financial crisis” after reporting losses of over £100m in their last accounts. The East London outfit could be “resigned” to losing star players such as Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville and Fernandes himself.
Fernandes has played 41 times for the Hammers this season in their fight against relegation. Despite West Ham’s woes, the 21-year-old has been a leading player in the Premier League in 2025/26. However, his efforts did not amount to a call-up to Portugal’s 2026 World Cup squad by Roberto Martinez.
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Relegation Looms to United’s Advantage
By the end of Sunday (24 May), West Ham United could once again be a Championship club. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side must win against Leeds United and hope that Spurs lose to Everton.
To the misery of West Ham, United are also interested in bringing El Hadji Malick Diouf to the club. The Reds are currently “monitoring” the left-back’s availability, as reported earlier in the month.
So far, all signs point towards Michael Carrick’s side ‘benefitting’ from West Ham’s demise as opposed to Spurs. It will be a situation to keep an eye on this weekend, as desperation may hit the Hammers in their pursuit of raising money sooner rather than later.
Should the Red Devils be able to fend off interest from other European giants, the acquisition of Fernandes would be a fantastic option for a Premier League-proven player once again. Moreover, it is a player who wants to make the move to the right side of Manchester.
