Liverpool have pulled the plug on their efforts to sign Mateus Fernandes with Man Utd now in pole position, according to reports.
Liverpool have pulled the plug on their efforts to sign West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes with Man Utd now in pole position, according to reports.
The Reds are under new management with Andoni Iraola taking over from Arne Slot following a miserable season at Anfield, which saw Liverpool finish fifth in the Premier League and without a trophy.
There is set to be major change at Anfield this summer with Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah all leaving the club.
Curtis Jones also looks likely to move on, if Inter Milan can agree to Liverpool’s asking price, and The Athletic‘s James Pearce said last month that the Reds could bring in five players.
Pearce insisted that Liverpool need ‘at least two attackers’ while he focused on the other three positions that they want to improve.
He wrote: ‘The midfield needs strengthening, and how much needs to be done in that area depends on whether Curtis Jones moves on.
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‘There are issues to address in both full-back positions. Liverpool must decide whether to buy a left-back to act as Milos Kerkez’s understudy following Andy Robertson’s exit or turn to Kostas Tsimikas after his loan at Roma.
‘I think they also need a right-back to compete with [Conor] Bradley once he’s fit again.’
Liverpool’s midfield was off the pace for much of the season with Alexis Mac Allister – who was named in the Premier League Team of the Season the year before – dropping his levels in 2025/26.
And now Anfield Watch claims that West Ham’s Fernandes had been one of the midfielders that Liverpool were looking to buy – but they have now had to pull out of a deal.
The report explains: ‘Anfield Watch understands that Liverpool did express genuine interest in signing Fernandes. The midfielder is viewed as a serious prospect and one who could develop into a star at Anfield.
‘However, the Reds were hoping to pay significantly less than the £80m figure now quoted at West Ham. It’s understood that Liverpool felt their valuation was realistic until the likes of United expressed a willingness to pay more, driving the asking price much higher.’
Liverpool have already moved their radar to another midfielder with Fabrizio Romano confirming “direct contacts” from the Reds for Lille star Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Romano said on his YouTube channel: “Lille knows very well that top clubs will be coming for Bouaddi, because even before the World Cup, some of the biggest clubs in the world started some conversations with his agents. I can tell you that between January and now, for sure, he’s been approached by Paris Saint-Germain.
“Paris Saint-Germain love Bouaddi. At the moment, they are not so busy with midfielders on the market, so that’s a point. But Paris Saint-Germain absolutely love Bouaddi, and they’ve been tracking him for a long time.
“Then we have to mention also that English clubs started having conversations for Bouaddi. For example, there were direct contacts with Arsenal and direct contacts also with Liverpool, so both clubs had meetings with the agents of the player, but now shining at the World Cup, one of the best talents around in midfield.”
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