Man Utd handed big advantage in race to sign £80m Liverpool target

Mateus Fernandes Transfer News: Man Utd Eye £80m West Ham Star Amid Greenwood Windfall

Manchester United find themselves in a genuinely exciting financial position this summer, with the Greenwood sell-on clause story gathering serious momentum. According to the Manchester Evening News, when United sold Mason Greenwood to Marseille permanently in 2024 for £26 million, they retained a 40 per cent sell-on clause in the agreement. Now, with Marseille demanding around £47.5 million from Fenerbahce for the 24-year-old forward, United stand to pocket approximately £19 million, money that could directly fund their pursuit of transfer targets such as Mateus Fernandes.

Fenerbahce presidential candidate Hakan Safi has publicly declared that his club have already signed a four-year agreement with Greenwood personally, though the club-to-club deal still depends on the outcome of Fenerbahce’s presidential election. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed on his YouTube channel that United’s sell-on clause is substantial, describing it as “more than 5%, 7%, or 10%.” This windfall arrives at a time when United have already sealed a £39 million deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson Silva and are actively hunting a second central midfielder.

Mateus Fernandes Transfer News: West Ham’s Firm Stance Creates Tension

West Ham are standing firm on their valuation of Fernandes, with reports from TEAMtalk on 4 June 2026 indicating the Hammers are demanding close to £80 million for the Portugal international. West Ham have told Fernandes he will be sold this summer following talks over his future, with Manchester United and Arsenal both making contact and actively considering formal bids for the 21-year-old. Yet the club refuses to accept anything short of their full asking price.

Journalist Shaun Connolly confirmed on 5 June that talks are ongoing and that Fernandes’ representatives remain confident of a deal, describing him as a player “really admired by many at Old Trafford.” Fernandes joined West Ham from Sporting CP in August 2025 on a five-year contract for a fee reported above £40 million, making this potential resale an enormous profit for the relegated Hammers. Despite West Ham’s relegation to the Championship, the player carries serious market value, and four clubs are reportedly competing for his signature.

Mateus Fernandes Transfer News: Can Carrick Get This Done?

Here is where the story moves beyond numbers and into genuine football narrative. Michael Carrick inherits a United squad in genuine transition, with Casemiro gone and Manuel Ugarte likely following him out the door. Fernandes plays alongside Bruno Fernandes for Portugal and is keen to link up with his compatriot at Old Trafford, which gives United a clear personal advantage over rivals. That kind of dressing-room pull matters enormously in modern transfers, and United rarely hold such a natural card.

Also read: 3 more signings Manchester United must make after landing Éderson

The financial picture, contrary to what the summer pessimism usually suggests, looks workable. The Greenwood windfall covers a meaningful portion of what West Ham want, and INEOS have already shown a willingness to move quickly by sealing the Ederson deal ahead of the window opening. Reports indicate INEOS plan to make a bid of up to £75 million, with the player himself described as extremely keen on the move. West Ham’s hardball stance is understandable but fragile; a relegated club rarely hold their best players for long, and the longer they resist, the louder the squad unrest grows. Carrick needs midfield energy and intelligence, and Fernandes provides both. If the Greenwood money lands cleanly and INEOS back the manager with full intent, this deal gets done before August.