West Ham United could soon find themselves in the slightly strange situation of forking over millions to Southampton without even signing a player from St Mary’s.
Manchester United are in pole position as Real Madrid calm their jets, with the Hammers expected to make a sizeable profit on Mateus Fernandes. Now, the eventual fee may not be quite as high as £80 million, but it will certainly be far larger than the £40 million they forked over in August 2025.
According to The Athletic, Southampton have a 15 per cent sell-on clause in Fernandes’ contract.
Be honest: Where do YOU think Mateus Fernandes ends up this summer?
Vote below 👇
The Saints negotiated an even larger sell-on fee when selling Dom Ballard to Leyton Orient – rumoured to be 20 per cent.
Now, a minor windfall will do little to ease the frustrations of a fanbase who saw Ballard leave for just £1.5 million. Especially if he rocks up at a West Ham United side who, on paper, look likely to challenge Southampton for promotion in 2026/27.
Still, if Fernandes leaves for £80 million and the Hammers invest some of that windfall in bringing Ballard to East London for a reported £15 million, Southampton would receive no less than £15 million via those sell-on clauses.
West Ham United eye Leyton Orient star Dom Ballard
Letting Ballard go may have been a mistake – he scored 23 times for Leyton Orient and claimed League One’s Player of the Year award, after all – but insisting on a sizeable sell-on clause was undoubtedly a sound decision.
The Surrey-born England Under-20 international is also on the radar of Swansea, Bristol City and Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen.
According to the Daily Mail, though Ballard is reported to find the idea of joining West Ham ‘particularly appealing’.
Of course, when links such as this emerge, the question is always the same; can he make the step up? Can 23 goals in League One be translated into a good scoring record in the Championship?
History proves that such a transition is possible. Ivan Toney, Glenn Murray, Rickie Lambert and Callum Wilson – Wilson could yet stay at West Ham, by the way – would all go on to net double digits in the Premier League.
Of course, there are far more who did not make the step up, but West Ham are right to view a 21-year-old Ballard as a prospect worth taking a punt on.
West Ham want Dom Ballard? Watch his 23 goals and tell us what you think! 👇
Ballard showed his ‘scary’ potential in the third tier
His 23 goals came from an XG of just 19, while only one came from the penalty spot. He would also provide five assists.
And, as data from FotMob proves, Ballard also scores very highly among his fellow centre-forwards when it comes to winning duels, pressing from the front, carrying the ball forward, and snatching possession high up the pitch.
Simply put, Ballard is a prolific, multi-faceted, hard-working, modern centre-forward. One capable of scoring all types of goals from a variety of body parts.
“He has got so much improvement in him it is scary,” Orient boss Richie Wellens told London News in March. “The kid can go a long long way.
“If he continues to grow, then who knows where he could go.”
Well, to West Ham, maybe.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
