Man Utd poised to bid £70m for Mateus Fernandes

Manchester United are preparing a £70m offer for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes after abandoning their pursuit of Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson when Manchester City emerged as the frontrunner and Anderson's asking price proved prohibitive. Carrick's recruitment team moved quickly to target Fernandes as their preferred midfield addition this summer.

West Ham could accept a reduced fee of around £70m despite originally valuing the 21-year-old at £84m. The club's relegation has weakened its negotiating position and may force a sale to help balance the books, particularly as Fernandes appears reluctant to play in the second tier.

Surging interest from Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal has increased the urgency at Old Trafford, with United keen to finalise terms before a full-scale bidding war develops. The board is putting structural paperwork in place and preparing an opening offer, and the club believes Fernandes' personal terms present no contractual obstacle.

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