Manchester United is confident they can sign M. Fernandes without paying £80 million! No official offer has been made yet, and the reason for not rushing is revealed. They are not worried about Real Madrid swooping in.

The signing of Ederson by Manchester United is only a matter of time; the total £39 million transfer will be concluded once the paperwork is processed. Who will be the next target? West Ham United's Matheus Fernandes is the frontrunner, but West Ham insiders stress that United has not yet approached them directly.

Although West Ham has been relegated, the 21-year-old M. Fernandes has attracted numerous potential buyers due to his outstanding performances. It is widely expected that he will leave in the summer, as the club needs to raise over £100 million through player sales. However, the "Hammers" have not yet received any official bids, including from Manchester United.

It must be emphasized that the transfer window has not yet opened; it officially begins on June 15, when Premier League and Championship clubs can conduct transfers. Manchester United is expected to take further steps. They have already contacted M. Fernandes and his agent, and the player is keen on joining the Red Devils.

BBC Sport's authoritative Simon Stone revealed that if Manchester United truly wants to sign M. Fernandes, they can definitely get the deal done, and they likely won't need to pay £80 million—that is West Ham's current asking price for the Portuguese midfielder, but the London club itself knows no one will pay that amount. Of course, they also believe Fernandes can be sold for a good fee. A source said: "Matheus (Fernandes) will definitely not be sold on the cheap."

West Ham is confident of raising substantial funds through player sales to avoid financial breaches. They are also optimistic that some key players will stay, such as captain Jarrod Bowen. However, M. Fernandes cannot stay. Besides financial factors, it is extremely difficult to convince the player to give up Champions League football and instead spend a season in the Championship.

Stone, nicknamed "Stone Man," explained: "Voices from West Ham say they don't believe Manchester United will pay £80 million, which might be true. Will West Ham insist on £80 million? I'm not sure if that's true; it depends on the market. My feeling is that as long as United really wants M. Fernandes, the deal can be done."

Manchester United is well aware that M. Fernandes has attracted interest from more than just them, unlike Atalanta's Ederson, who initially had interest from Atletico Madrid but now only the Red Devils remain. Many in United's transfer department and higher management recognize M. Fernandes's talent and are confident about completing the transfer. United also believes some of the rumors about M. Fernandes are exaggerated.

In particular, the recent links between Real Madrid and M. Fernandes are considered by United to be no cause for concern. Spanish newspaper *AS* claims that José Mourinho has recommended M. Fernandes to Florentino Pérez, with the Real Madrid presidential election set for Sunday. If "Old Man" is re-elected, Mourinho is expected to return to the Bernabéu as coach.

Real Madrid naturally appeals to players from the Iberian Peninsula. M. Fernandes might reject Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, but whether he can resist the lure of the "Galácticos" is uncertain. However, United believes Mourinho is unlikely to be interested in a young M. Fernandes, and the player himself does not want to go to Real Madrid, where he would likely be a substitute, whereas joining United offers a strong chance at a starting spot.

Manchester United has been in contact with M. Fernandes's agent for four to six weeks and is convinced the player prefers to join them. According to United's plan, they may eventually pay between £50 million and £60 million for the transfer fee.

M. Fernandes's agent is Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes, who also represents Mourinho, so it is no surprise he is linked to Real Madrid—it may be a tactic to drive up the price. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated that United has not yet made a move mainly because they want to see if other opportunities emerge in the transfer market.

Romano explained: "M. Fernandes is 100% on Manchester United's list, and several other clubs are interested. United has had some conversations with the player's side over the past few weeks. Regarding the second midfield signing, the club wants to know if any bigger opportunities will arise. United has negotiated with agents, but they need some time before deciding. They are monitoring the market—for example, they also admire Tchouaméni and Elliot Anderson, but there are no indications yet that a move is possible."