Liverpool Eyeing West Ham Midfielder Mateus Fernandes as Potential Bargain Buy

Liverpool have West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes on their watchlist, with a potential swoop on the cards if the East London club drop into the Championship, sources suggest.

Arne Slot's side may need reinforcements in midfield this summer despite their current depth, with concerns mounting over potential departures. Both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have attracted Real Madrid's attention, whilst Tottenham remain persistent suitors for Curtis Jones.

According to respected Liverpool correspondent David Lynch, Fernandes represents precisely the sort of opportunity the Reds have historically exploited. The 21-year-old Portuguese playmaker arrived at the London Stadium from Southampton last summer for £42million and has registered three goals and three assists across 26 appearances this term. However, West Ham's precarious position—third from bottom and staring down the barrel of the drop—could present Liverpool with an opening.

The Reds boast previous form in this department. When Newcastle tumbled to the Championship in 2016, Liverpool swooped for midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum for £25million. Two years later, following Stoke's relegation, they activated the £13million release clause to bring in Xherdan Shaqiri.

Lynch explained the club's methodology: "He looks a good player, and they're in a bit of trouble at the moment. He's only 21 and he just looks a real talent, and suited to the Premier League as it is now as well. I don't doubt he's someone they're kind of keeping an eye on and it's all about what needs come up for Liverpool, do they need in that position, and does someone leave that opens up an opportunity?"

He continued: "But if they do, they do watch these things and we've seen with the Shaqiri deal, the Wijnaldum deal that they will look to these clubs that go down, and if they've got players they like they will go for them."

Whilst Liverpool premiered their title credentials last season, this campaign threatens to see them outside the top four—a far cry from their recent dominance. The potential departures of key midfielders have forced the club to cast their net wider.

Fernandes's profile appears to tick boxes for Liverpool's recruitment team. Young, talented, and battle-tested in the Premier League, he fits the mould of acquisitions the club typically pursues. Yet much depends on West Ham's fate and whether Liverpool's midfield department actually requires bolstering come summer.

Interestingly, Lynch also flagged Liverpool's genuine interest in Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, though he expressed reservations about the fit. "The Morgan Rogers one is always interesting to me because he definitely is someone who they've watched and have liked down the years," Lynch noted. "But you've also got to say they've got Florian Wirtz in the number 10, Szoboszlai can play there. Rogers can play off the left, but he's not a natural winger, and I would rather see them go for an out-and-out winger profile really."