Manchester United has revived its pursuit of West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, launching a new bid to secure the 21-year-old Portuguese talent.
The move comes after Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte suffered a severe knee injury during Uruguay's 1-0 World Cup loss to Spain, forcing him off the pitch in tears.
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Ugarte collided with teammate Mathias Olivera while chasing Spain's Pedri, a blow that disrupts INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans to sell the Uruguayan this summer.
Renewed Interest
Transfer journalist Matteo Moretto reported on June 27 that Manchester United has made fresh contact with Fernandes, offering an improved contract to counter Tottenham Hotspur's strong interest.
"Manchester United is back in the chase for Mateus Fernandes," Moretto posted on X.
"In the last few hours, there have been new contacts with the player; the Red Devils are willing to improve their contractual offer to convince him to sign."
Moretto also noted that Manchester United plans direct talks with West Ham, while Tottenham remains in the race after pressing hard in recent days.
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Tottenham had previously established strong inroads under manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Moretto initially reported on June 25 that Fernandes had approved a move to North London, with De Zerbi viewing him as a priority midfield signing.
"Tottenham and West Ham are already negotiating for Mateus Fernandes," Moretto stated, adding that the player had given his approval to the transfer.
Manchester United's counter-effort aims to hijack the deal by offering a superior contractual package directly to the player.
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Under manager Michael Carrick, Manchester United is also pursuing Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha and finalizing a loan return for goalkeeper Andre Onana to Trabzonspor as part of a summer restructuring.
