The genius West Ham and Southampton transfer swap deal that would see both clubs win big

West Ham could do with injecting some more quality into their ranks over the next few weeks. They have until the deadline on Monday 1st September to conclude any incoming bits of business. The Hammers will then be stuck with what they have got in their squad until January at least, unless they decide to delve into the free agent market.

The Hammers turned to Graham Potter as their head coach during last season. He was picked as their replacement for Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked after a poor run of form. Potter’s spell at the London Stadium hasn't quite gone to plan yet in terms of results and he will be hoping for a fast start in the upcoming 2025/26 campaign.

West Ham eye Southampton ace Mateus Fernandes

West Ham are keen on Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer. According to The Athletic, they have seen a bid rejected by the Saints for the prospect already. It remains to be seen whether he will still be a Championship player come the end of the window.

Fernandes, 21, is a key player for his current club and they face a battle to keep hold of him over the coming weeks amid attention from elsewhere. His contract expires in 2029 meaning they are under no pressure to sell him just yet and can afford to wait for the right deal to sell him. The Hampshire outfit were relegated from the Premier League in the last campaign after finishing in the bottom three along with Ipswich Town and Leicester City.

The Portugal youth international would be an ideal addition for West Ham. He would give them more competition and depth in the middle of the park. He would also give them another option to pick from in games and more energy and enthusiasm.

Fernandes rose up through Sporting Lisbon’s ranks after joining them as a teenager from Olhanense. He was a regular for his previous club at various different youth levels including their B team before playing 10 games for their first-team, as well as having a loan spell away at Estoril to get some experience under his belt. Since joining Southampton, he has played 44 games and has scored four goals.

West Ham should offer Callum Marshall to Southampton

In an attempt to snap up Fernandes, West Ham should offer Callum Marshall to Southampton as part of a swap deal. The attacker would benefit from a loan switch to the second tier now following his impressive stint at Huddersfield Town in League One. He scored 10 goals in 46 games for the Terriers last term, nine of which came in the league as they missed out on the play-offs.

Marshall, 20, is a bright young talent and would be a shrewd pick-up by the Saints if they got him. He would give them something different in attack. Highly-rated Will Still was appointed as their head coach earlier this summer after catching the eye in France with RC Lens and he won his first competitive match in charge last weekend against Wrexham 2-1.

The Northern Ireland international, who has already played eight times for his country, could find first-team action hard to come by at West Ham over the coming months to another departure would make sense. As well as Huddersfield, he has also spent time away at West Brom in the past to boost his development. The Glengormley-born man was snapped up by the Hammers back in 2022 after catching the eye at Linfield in his native country and he has since featured on one occasion for their senior team.