Mateus Fernandes is set for his move to West Ham United after reaching an agreement with Southampton for a £40 million fee.

According to the BBC, West Ham United have reached an agreement with Southampton for the signing of midfielder Mateus Fernandes. Having failed with a move earlier, the upcoming arrival of the Portuguese midfielder will be a boost for under-fire manager Graham Potter, with the Hammers likely to end the window as one of the busiest clubs.

West Ham had a terrible start to the season, losing all three of their games so far. The latest defeat came at the hands of Wolves, who dumped the Hammers out of the Carabao Cup, to add to the pressure on manager Graham Potter.

Potter oversaw a disappointing opening day defeat to newcomers Sunderland and then a thrashing at the hands of Chelsea last weekend. The manager is keen to bolster certain areas of his squad before the transfer deadline, with central midfield being the priority ahead of the next few days.

They have found an agreement for Soungoutou Magassa from Monaco, and he has been looking to add at least another body in the middle following the departure of Edson Alvarez. The Hammers had earlier failed with a bid for Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes, and were expected to return with an improved offer.

The technically gifted midfielder was keen to make the switch back to the Premier League after suffering relegation with Southampton in his debut campaign in English football. West Ham were expected to revive the chase despite the earlier setback, and it appears things have fallen in place for the London outfit.

West Ham agree Mateus Fernandes deal

West Ham have now found an agreement with Southampton for Fernandes, with the London side paying a £40 million fee. When the move is confirmed, the technically gifted midfielder will become their third costliest player of all time behind Sebastian Haller and Lucas Paqueta.

Fernandes is expected to complete the medicals and formalities next, while the Hammers will have a race against time to have him feature at the weekend. While the prospect of the Portugal star playing against Nottingham Forest are slim, in the context of the season, he will be a key addition for Potter.