Man Utd are progressing with the signing of Mateus Fernandes from West Ham in a bid to beat Arsenal
Manchester United are now progressing to sign the £65m Premier League star, who has emerged as a ‘very important’ target in the summer transfer window.
Man Utd are battling for a “special” midfielder.
talkSPORT’s Alex Crook has confirmed that there are a number of midfielders on Man United’s shortlist ahead of the summer transfer window, but Brighton’s Carlos Baleba stands out above the rest.
The reporter said: “Wharton’s passing rate is very good but we already have Bruno Fernandes who can do that. I think if you want a combination of those two – Baleba and Wharton – it would be Anderson or Tonali, so it will be interesting to see which of those players United stumble upon.
“The idea that sticks in my mind, if you look at what happened last summer and they asked questions again in January, is that Baleba was always at the top of the list of players.”
With Casemiro set to leave Old Trafford when his contract expires this summer, bringing in a defensive midfielder will be crucial, and Baleba could take a similar role, having appeared in a deeper role this season.
However, Man United are also keen on bringing in an attacking midfielder, according to a report by Sports Boom, who claim they are now moving towards signing West Ham United star Mateus Fernandes.
The Red Devils, as well as sporting director Jason Wilcox, have identified Fernandes as a ‘very important’ transfer target, and the fact that they are progressing in their pursuit of the midfielder is a blow to Arsenal, as the Gunners believe he would be a ‘great’ addition in midfield.
However, the deal could be on the expensive side, with Nuno’s side set to hold out for around €65m – €75m (£56m – £65m).
Fernandes has impressed in his first campaign at West Ham
The Hammers are in serious danger of relegation from the Championship, but the 21-year-old has been impressive in his personal campaign on his London Stadium debut, bagging three goals and three assists in 27 Premier League outings.
One of those assists came in the Irons’ 3-2 win over Burnley in November, in what was a superb display, in which the Portuguese maestro made three crucial passes and won four duels.
Of course, the youngster can also play defensively, having averaged 3.0 runs per 90 in the Premier League this season, more than any other West Ham midfielder, and FotMob’s 7.27 match rating is the highest in the club.
It is good news, then, that Man United are making progress in their pursuit of Fernandes, who has been hailed as “different” by Ben Mattinson, but they should bring in a more defensive midfielder and the former Southampton man.
£100m deal on cards: Man Utd open talks to sign new Fernandes
Manchester United are looking to sign a top-class midfielder in the summer transfer window.
