Exclusive: Aston Villa, Leeds and West Ham race for Southampton £25m star Fernandes.
Sources tell Football Insider that Aston Villa, West Ham and Leeds are interested in signing Southampton midfielder Matheus Fernandes.
Fernandes, 20, was one of Southampton’s bright spots during a disappointing Premier League season, earning the club’s Player of the Season award.
Villa, West Ham, and Leeds are all looking to improve their midfield options and are willing to give the Portugal Under-21 international the opportunity to stay in the Premier League.
Southampton face a losing battle to keep Fernandes after relegation, with the club valuing him at around £25 million.
Mateus Fernandes is set to leave Southampton following relegation.
Fernandes has been one of Southampton’s most impressive players this season, alongside wonderkid and Tottenham target Tyler Dibling.
This season, the Portuguese star has shown his versatility by playing regularly in the centre of the park while also being deployed further forward in some games. In 35 league matches, the 20-year-old has scored twice and assisted three times.
The sales of Dibling and Fernandes would help the Saints cope financially with relegation.
Simon Rusk has been in charge since Ivan Juric’s departure in April, and a new manager will undoubtedly want to refresh Southampton’s squad as they seek an immediate return to the Premier League.
However, having been relegated earlier than any other team in the competition’s history, the Saints will face an uphill battle next season.
Aston Villa, Leeds, and West Ham look to bolster their midfield positions.
With Marco Asensio set to return to PSG at the end of his loan and Youri Tielemans attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League, Unai Emery will need to add another midfielder to his squad.
Fernandes’ ability to play in a holding role or behind the striker makes him an excellent replacement for either player.
| 2024/25 Premier League stats | Fernandes |
| Appearances | 35 |
| Starts | 33 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Minutes | 2,829 |
West Ham, meanwhile, are preparing for a massive squad overhaul, with up to 15 players expected to leave Graham Potter’s side this summer.
Finally, Leeds will be hoping to avoid the same fate as Southampton, as well as both promoted sides in the previous two seasons, by avoiding immediate relegation to the Championship.
To do so, Daniel Farke’s team will most likely need to be aggressive in the transfer market and heavily bolster their squad, despite winning the league with 100 points this season.
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