West Ham must join race for Mateus Fernandes replacement after Rangers transfer update | OneFootball

West Ham United should consider joining Bologna in the race for Rangers midfielder Connor Barron this summer

West Ham United's summer has yet to click into gear, with just the one permanent addition confirmed so far, but things are starting to heat up at the London Stadium following a recent lucrative sale, as the Hammers should join European competition in pursuit of an international midfielder.

West Ham are officially a Championship club once again after 14 years in the Premier League, and as Nuno Espirito Santo prepares to guide the Hammers into next season, the Portuguese head coach will have plenty of additions in mind.

However, before they can spend, sales are imperative, with the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Jarrod Bowen all linked with big money moves elsewhere following relegation.

The loss of Premier League revenue means the East London outfit are forced into sales, and following Mateus Fernandes' £85 million move to capital rivals Tottenham Hotspur, a lot of financial burden will have been lifted.

With Fernandes having left, a big gap in the middle of the park will somehow need to be filled by Nuno, as the 52-year-old should look to join European competition in the pursuit of a talented midfielder after Rangers' transfer admission.

West Ham United should join Bologna in the hunt for Rangers midfielder Connor Barron following Mateus Fernandes' sale

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Fernandes was undoubtedly one of West Ham's star players last season, as despite having now suffered back-to-back relegations in his first two years in England, first with Southampton and now with the Hammers, his stock has only increased.

That £85 million will be a huge boost for the club's summer business, allowing them to be much more stern when it comes to commanding fees for some of their other players, such as Summerville, Wan-Bissaka, and Bowen.

Nuno, despite relegation, will have few intentions of weakening his squad by any means, and will be actively pushing targets for the club to go and pursue this summer.

Portuguese midfielder Gustavo Sa has been linked with a €20 million (£17.1 million) move to the London Stadium as of late, a deal which would come close to breaking the existing transfer record of Sindre Walle Egeli's £17.5 million move to Ipswich Town, but in West Ham's case, would just be par for the course.

Replacing Fernandes is not an easy task, and certainly not one anyone will be envious of incoming director of player recruitment, Nils Koppen, for undertaking.

With at least eight more games than they have typically been used to over the past decade or so, strength and depth ought to be a priority for Nuno, who will know exactly what it takes to guide a team out of this division, having done so previously with Wolverhampton Wanderers back in 2018.

The right mix of star power and depth must be met if the Hammers are to earn an immediate route back to the top flight, as they should consider joining Bologna in the race for Rangers midfielder Connor Barron.

Barron, 23, came through the ranks at Aberdeen before securing a move to Ibrox in the summer of 2024, where he has since gone on to make 83 appearances across all competitions and earn one cap for Scotland.

The midfielder fell out of favour under German boss Danny Rohl in the latter stages of last campaign, with each of Nicolas Raskin, Tochi Chukwuani, and Mohamed Diomande preferred ahead of him in the pecking order.

Italian top-flight outfit Bologna have previously registered an interest in the midfielder, and now, according to FootballInsider, the Scottish giants will be considering bids of around £8 million to £10 million this summer.

At that price, it's a deal West Ham would be remiss at not considering, with the Hammers in desperate need of a deep-lying midfielder capable of dictating play.

Barron would likely command more of a squad role if the opportunity to move to the English capital arises, offering strong competition in the middle of the park for Nuno.

Bologna, and fellow Italian side Hellas Verona, have found success in delving into the Scottish market over the years, with each of Lewis Ferguson, Aaron Hickey, Kieron Bowie, and Josh Doig all making the move to the nation, with Barron touted as the next.

West Ham ought to have something to say about that, and should join the race for the 23-year-old's services this summer.

Whilst not a direct replacement for Fernandes, Barron would operate in a similar position, but play a more conservative role, allowing Tomas Soucek to make more of his trademark late runs into the box.

Barron could immediately start for West Ham upon his arrival, elevating their midfield and offering a different skill set to their current options, but will likely be equally as happy to play more of a squad role if necessary, as this is a deal the Hammers cannot afford to simply ignore.

Nuno Espirito Santo must consider a swoop for Connor Barron after Rangers transfer admission

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With Fernandes gone, West Ham are left with few options in the middle of the park as a result.

Songoutou Magassa, Mohamadou Kante, and Freddie Potts, alongside Soucek, are the only other options at Nuno's disposal, and though one or two of those may play some sort of role over the course of next season, none are likely to play starring parts.

Both James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez are expected to leave the club over the next few weeks and months, as Nuno must carefully consider his additions to strike the right balance.

Barron ticks a lot of boxes for the Hammers, and European interest has not come from nowhere, as West Ham must join the race for his signature this summer to not miss out on a potential coup.