Manchester United’s pursuit of new midfielders has been a slow one since agreeing to a fee with Atalanta for Ederson last month. The Reds are reportedly operating with the intention to sign two more in a vital summer for the rebuild of the team.
The decision to move on from Casemiro looks more and more like the correct decision as the World Cup goes on and the Brazilian captain’s age is in the spotlight, but his contributions are a lot to replace and the club have yet to move on that front. The big shoes are as yet unfilled, and so far it seems to be the price that is the issue.
United have been in talks with West Ham over the signing of Mateus Fernandes, the young Portuguese midfielder who starred for the Hammers in their recent relegation campaign. The player is valued at around £80m, or double what West Ham paid for his services in a deal with Southampton, and the Reds have not gotten close to matching yet.
Tottenham Hotspur entered into the picture to complicate matters, willing to match West Ham’s asking price and agree to terms with Fernandes and his agent, Jorge Mendes. While United is reportedly the player’s preferred destination, Spurs have the lead on any potential deal. The ability to undercut West Ham’s valuation is also significantly impacted by the presence of Spurs willing to match.
The player may have some say in the matter, but if he is willing to play for Spurs there isn’t much United can do in the matter except match or move on. Fernandes will not want to play in the Championship and take the pay cut that comes with it, and certainly his talent and promise warrants a move to a big club, but the new leadership group under INEOS has shown its less willing to pay top dollar and get into bidding wars over wages. They prefer to handle business quickly.
There are plenty of alternatives, and if the situation with Fernandes isn’t resolved soon, United should look to move on. Preseason camp begins on July 9 and the club has the advantage of several players absent from the World Cup. It’s the perfect time to introduce new talent into the fold, and with other targets such as Adam Wharton and Alex Scott also out of the World Cup picture, perhaps a move for them would be more beneficial.