Sports

Report: Manchester Sides To Battle Over West Ham Midfielder

January 22, 2026

Story byReport: Manchester Sides To Battle Over West Ham MidfielderEPL IndexThu, January 22, 2026 at 8:50 PM UTC·4 min readManchester Transfer Tension as Fernandes Clause Shapes January NarrativeAs West Ham hover in the relegation places, Mateus Fernandes has moved from bright spark to bargaining chip, a player whose contract detail may now shape the balance of power in Manchester as reported by Sports Boom. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFernandes is described as “the Portuguese sensation and a rare bright spark in an otherwise disappointing season for West Ham United”, a line that captures both his individual rise and the collective struggle around him. In January, those two realities collide. The league table does not just dictate form and momentum, it now dictates leverage. Hidden Clause Alters West Ham’s Leverage“The Hidden Clause” is the pivot point of this story.

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Key Highlights

There is “no general release clause in his contract”, but “a specific relegation release clause was inserted into his deal when he signed from Southampton”.
That single line reframes West Ham’s position.
Contracts are meant to offer security, but this one now carries risk.“Although the exact financial terms of the clause are being kept strictly confidential by the player’s camp and the club, it is understood that the figure would represent a massive market opportunity if triggered.” Opportunity for others, vulnerability for West Ham. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith the club “currently sitting 18th in the Premier League table”, sources suggest the clause has “fundamentally altered West Ham’s stance”.
Rather than digging in, they are now “actively encouraging interest from one of the Premier League’s elite ahead of the January window”.
That is not weakness, it is pragmatism.

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Sources

Report: Manchester Sides To Battle Over West Ham Midfielder

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