The bold £20m transfer hijack Leeds United could now make to snatch top West Ham target

Leeds United won the Championship title last season under the guidance of Daniel Farke. They are back in the Premier League and need to ensure that they are ready for the step up in quality. The Yorkshire club have been busy on the recruitment front this summer.

The Whites have the chance to bring in some more new faces before the end of the transfer window on Monday 1st September. They also have the opportunity to let some players head out the exit door as well if needed. That would help free up space and funds in their squad to pave the way for further reinforcements.

Leeds United eye Mateus Fernandes deal

According to CaughtOffside, West Ham are ‘particularly keen’ on £20m-rated Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes amid competition from Leeds. The pair aren’t the only teams interested in the Saints star though, with Crystal Palace, Atletico Madrid and Juventus also mentioned as suitors. His current club will will face a real battle to keep hold of him over the coming weeks amid attention from elsewhere.

Fernandes, 20, is under contract until 2029 so Will Still’s side are under no pressure to sell him anytime soon and can wait for the right offer to come in for his signature. The prospect would be ideal for the Whites if they were able to beat the Hammers to his signature. He is young, has potential to get better in the future and would be a useful long-term addition.

The Portugal youth international started his career at Olhanense before Sporting Lisbon snapped him up as a youngster. He subsequently rose up through the academy of his previous team and was a regular for them at various different youth levels. The Olhao-born man was loaned out to Estoril as a teenager to get some experience under his belt and boost his development.

Fernandes then broke into Sporting’s first-team under Ruben Amorim, who has since linked up with Manchester United. He played 10 senior game for the Portuguese giants before Southampton swooped in last year. He has since made 42 competitive appearances for the Saints and chipped in with three goals.

Why Mateus Fernandes would suit Leeds United

Fernandes would give Leeds more competition and depth in the middle of the park. He would also inject quality into that particular department. The fact he knows the league already is likely to also come in handy for Farke’s men.

It seems inevitable that Southampton will lose him soon and they will be eager to get the right price for him. If the Whites can offer a bit more money than West Ham, a switch to Elland Road would probably suit him better as he can get more game time there. The Saints were relegated back to the second tier last term after finishing in the bottom three along with Ipswich Town and Leicester City and they will be eyeing an immediate return under Still.

Leeds will be relieved to be back in the big time and they can look forward to locking horns with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea again. There is no doubt that they will need to be at their best though if they are to stay up. Farke will be under pressure from the off to pick up points and they have to make sure that they have the right characters in the building to deal with the fixtures that are set to come their way over the next few months.