What Man Utd actually want to pay for West Ham's Mateus Fernandes as 'personal terms agreed' | OneFootball

West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes is edging closer to a move to Manchester United after agreeing personal terms

West Ham United are set for a huge rebuild this summer under the guidance of Nuno Espirito Santo, as their first major exit edges ever closer to completion, but one key factor is halting the switch.

West Ham are back in the Championship for the first time since 2012, with their 14-year stay in the Premier League coming to a bitterly disappointing, but not unforeseen, end.

The Hammers, who were crowned UEFA Europa Conference League winners just three years ago, have long been in a state of instability since the departure of David Moyes, with each of Julien Lopetegui, Graham Potter, or Nuno Espirito Santo overseeing their demise.

Nuno is expected to remain in charge despite relegation, with the Portuguese boss preparing to reshuffle his squad for the trials and tribulations of the Championship, with exits a necessity to raise funds following the loss of Premier League money.

The likes of Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have all been linked with moves elsewhere, though what looks to be their most lucrative sale of the summer has continued to edge ever closer to completion, with one key factor now blocking its conclusion.

West Ham: Mateus Fernandes agrees on personal terms with Man United as Red Devils negotiate the transfer valuation

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West Ham need to raise funds this summer, and they look set to see a huge influx of money sooner rather than later, with midfielder Mateus Fernandes set to join Premier League giants Manchester United.

Fernandes, 21, first made the move to England in the summer of 2024 for around £15 million from Sporting CP, after impressing in Portugal on loan with Estoril Praia.

Though he'd be relegated with the Saints, this didn't stop West Ham from bringing him to the London Stadium last summer for around £40 million, where he made 36 Premier League appearances for the Hammers, suffering relegation yet again.

However, despite back-to-back relegations, Man United are looking to offer the Portuguese midfielder a Premier League stay, and according to FootballInsider, have agreed personal terms ahead of a potential summer move.

Real Madrid have also been linked with a move for Fernandes, as have Tottenham Hotspur recently, but it appears the 21-year-old favours a move to Old Trafford this summer to link up with compatriot and namesake Bruno Fernandes.

West Ham are demanding a fee in excess of £80 million for their star asset, but FootballInsider states that the Red Devils are trying to negotiate that fee down to £65 million plus add-ons, something which is, as yet, unclear whether the Hammers are willing to entertain.

Nuno's side needs the money now to mitigate the losses of Premier League revenue, as any decrease in their initial £80 million payment would mean that sales elsewhere would have to be made.

Now, with Fernandes and United having agreed on personal terms, it's now up to the two clubs to decide on the structure of payment for his services, as West Ham will likely remain steadfast in their valuation of Fernandes, whilst United will continue to negotiate it down.

Whatever the case, it looks certain that the Portuguese midfielder won't be sticking around in East London next season, though how much he departs for remains to be seen.

Nuno Espirito Santo will be keen to reinvest Mateus Fernandes' sale to Manchester United into his playing squad

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Heading down to the second tier, West Ham have one of, if not the biggest, wage bills in the league's history, which will need serious reconstruction this summer.

The departure of Fernandes will certainly help their less-than-ideal financial situation, as Nuno will be hoping to reinvest as much of his fee into incomings as possible.

The Portuguese head coach is no stranger to the second tier, having romped to the title with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018, and will be aiming for a similar outcome this time around in the capital.

He will have to do so without Fernandes, but the fee they should collect for him should be substantial enough to fund a big portion of their rebuild, as West Ham looks to ensure their time in the second tier is as short-lived as possible.