“West Ham’s SHOCKING Move to Snag Guardiola’s ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ Ex-Premier League Prodigy Will Leave Fernandes in the DUST!”
West Ham United are shifting their attention to a former Premier League player as they struggle to make progress in their pursuit of Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
Update on Fernandes pursuit
It has been a relatively subdued summer at the London Stadium. Ahead of Graham Potter’s first full campaign in charge, the club has seen Mohammed Kudus depart, while El Hadji Malick Diouf, Callum Wilson, Kyle Walker-Peters and Mads Hermansen have arrived—funded in part by the sizeable fee received from Tottenham Hotspur for their winger.
Despite these four signings, doubts remain over whether West Ham can improve on last season’s disappointing 14th-place finish.
With just two weeks left before the transfer window closes, it is unclear if those concerns will be addressed.
Reports suggest that after learning of Southampton’s £50m valuation, West Ham have opted against increasing their £30m bid for Fernandes.
The club reportedly feels their offer was fair and sufficient to secure the player’s services.
As a result, attention has turned to other midfield targets. Harvey Elliott remains a possible option, particularly with competition for minutes at Liverpool set to increase following Florian Wirtz’s arrival. A deal for Elliott could be more attainable before deadline day.
Aleix Garcia emerges as an alternative
One name now linked with the Hammers is Bayer Leverkusen’s Aleix Garcia.
According to Graeme Bailey of The Boot Room, West Ham could present the Spaniard with a return to the Premier League, where he last played for Manchester City before leaving in 2020.
Since his City exit, Garcia has had spells at FC Dinamo, SD Eibar, Girona, and moved to Leverkusen last summer.
Now 28, he brings considerable experience and could vindicate Pep Guardiola’s early praise, when the City manager labelled him “outstanding” back in 2016.
Garcia’s appeal becomes clearer when compared with Fernandes. Both midfielders produced similar levels of creativity last season, each showing a keen eye for incisive passes.
However, Garcia’s numbers stand out given he featured for only 1,455 minutes in the Bundesliga.
Statistical analysis suggests that, with more regular playing time, Garcia might have outperformed Fernandes over the course of the campaign.
With Fernandes looking increasingly unlikely and the need for midfield reinforcement still pressing, Garcia could represent both a practical and potentially cost-effective solution.
Whether West Ham can secure his signature before the transfer window closes could be key to addressing one of Potter’s biggest squad gaps ahead of the new season.
