Fabrizio Romano has confirmed a “significant” update on Mateus Fernandes away from West Ham

Mateus Fernandes has become one of the hottest spots in English football following an outstanding 2025/26 campaign at West Ham, attracting interest from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Man United, PSG and Real Madrid.

While West Ham endured a miserable end to the season, Fernandes was one of the few bright lights in a difficult campaign.

Week after week, the Portuguese midfielder has shown exactly why he is regarded as one of the brightest talents in the Premier League.

His energy, technical ability and maturity always stood out, as the results around him continued to disappoint.

In many ways, Fernandes' performance reinforced the belief that he was performing at a level above the situation West Ham found himself in.

That definitely got attention.

Any player who can produce at such a high level in a struggling side will always attract considerable interest, especially if they have their best years ahead of them.

For West Ham fans, there was an admission that keeping Fernandes following relegation was always going to be a huge challenge.

The midfielder's quality is rarely questioned.

The big question is whether any interested club would be willing to meet the price West Ham have set for one of their most valuable assets.

Now, Fabrizio Romano has given a major update on the situation.

West Ham make Fernandes a target after Fabrizio Romano's 'significant' renewal

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that West Ham have made their position clear regarding Fernandes' future.

According to transfer experts, the Hammers have refused to budge on their £85 million price tag for the midfielder.

That figure instantly places Fernandes among the most expensive transfer figures of the window and underlines how highly West Ham rate the Portugal international.

Romano also suggested that there is little expectation that Fernandes will remain at the club following relegation.

The belief that this midfielder will move forward before the closing of the transfer window, interest continues to come from teams that will be able to give him high-quality football and the opportunity to compete at a high level.

However, West Ham are determined to make sure they get the best price if they are to lose one of their best players.

From the team's perspective, that approach is understandable.

Fernandes is still developing, has proven himself in one of the toughest leagues in the world and has the kind of profile that today's clubs aspire to.

Young, technically gifted midfielders with Premier League experience don't come on the market very often.

A fee of £85m may seem ambitious at first for a Championship side, but West Ham know they are not dealing with a typical transfer situation.

They are negotiating at a point where it is believed that a number of top clubs are interested, which could trigger an auction, and where the player still has significant room to grow.

In the coming weeks he will reveal whether there is a club willing to meet those demands.

What seems certain, however, is that Fernandes' future is not in the Championship.

West Ham may be preparing for life in the second tier, but the club is facing a major shake-up, with former chairman David Sullivan stepping down this week and joining Karren Brady out the door.