West Ham could be ‘forced’ to sell Mateus Fernandes after contract clause revealed
West Ham could be forced to sell Mateus Fernandes among a number of other key stars if they are relegated from the Premier League this season.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side beat Burnley 2-0 last time out to gain ground on their relegation rivals, but remain three points short of Nottingham Forest.
Should they suffer relegation to the Championship, West Ham‘s players have clauses in their contracts which will see their wages slashed by 50 per cent.
As a result, they will struggle to hang on to their best players if they are unable to reach safety, with Fernandes near the top of the list of potential departures.
Former West Ham scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that the 21-year-old’s performances this season have attracted interest from multiple clubs.
West Ham forced to accept Mateus Fernandes offer
Football Insider revealed in January that West Ham had no plans to sell Fernandes despite the growing interest as a result of his impressive displays in East London.
However, if Nuno is unable to lead his side to safety, they will likely be unable to turn down interest as they player will want to remain in the Premier League.
“West Ham will find it difficult to keep hold of Fernandes,” Brown told Football Insider.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how good he’s been since he came to West Ham, and the people I speak to at the club think he’s been brilliant.
“All the issues I’ve flagged about West Ham’s midfield in the past, he has addressed those.
“He’s made a real difference to the team, even when they’ve been struggling he’s been consistent every week and that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“The problem is, there are other clubs who have taken notice as well, and if West Ham are relegated he’s going to be top of the list of those who could leave.
“He’ll have to take a pay cut if they go down, and he’ll want to play Premier League football as well, so if a club comes in with money then he’ll want to go.
“The same goes for a lot of the top players at West Ham, it’s a problem most teams that go down struggle with, so they could be forced to let him go.”
West Ham’s January transfers causing new concerns
Amid their ongoing battle against relegation, the Hammers had hoped for a strong mid-season transfer window to boost their chances of survival.
However, West Ham ultimately made a profit following the sale of Lucas Paqueta while there are now concerns about the quality of their arrivals.
Brown warned Football Insider that Axel Disasi will be a “disaster” for West Ham with issues already emerging shortly following his signing.
Reports have suggested the defender was not entirely convinced by the move to the London Stadium and the prospect of competing in a relegation battle.
Disasi started and kept a clean sheet in the Hammers’ win against Burnley, but there are still doubts about whether he is an upgrade on their other options.
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