West Ham will like what they are hearing after Will Still made a telling Southampton admission as the Hammers board make their stance on Mateus Fernandes crystal clear.
West Ham boss Graham Potter has confirmed he is still looking for new signings before the summer transfer window closes.
The problem for the Hammers is actually signing them.
Potter refused to speak about Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes when asked directly whether there was any progress on West Ham’s move for the midfield star.
As is always the case, managers refuse to discuss players at other clubs and, for now at least, West Ham target Fernandes is very much a Southampton player.
Saints play hard ball with West Ham over Fernandes price
One that the Saints value highly too – at a whopping £50-60m no less.
That is some £20-30m more than West Ham offered for the 21-year-old Portuguese star earlier this week.
West Ham are taking a big gamble leaving the most important part of their rebuild, the midfield, until last.
A specially extended three-month summer window gave West Ham a big advantage with Potter needing to overhaul his team.
But a lack of funds has meant slow progress for the Hammers.
The club has been looking to raid the Championship for players, with Kyle Walker-Peters joining West Ham on a free transfer after leaving Southampton.
Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen is West Ham’s latest signing.
Hermansen was Potter’s prime ‘keeper target but the club threatened to walk away from the deal when Leicester quoted majority owner David Sullivan over £30m for the Dane.
Foxes fans are adamant Hermansen is worth even more.
But after some brinkmanship from Sullivan, using Botafogo’s John Victor as an “imminent signing” stooge, Leicester buckled and sold Hermansen to West Ham for less than £18m.
Southampton have taken a hard-line stance over Fernandes, telling West Ham not to bother making a second bid unless it is at least £50m.
Hammers board stance on Fernandes confirmed
But now Will Still’s Southampton admission will delight West Ham as the board’s stance is confirmed.
Sullivan takes a lot of criticism from Hammers fans, much of it justified, some harsh.
There is no denying his transfer tactics do sometimes pay off in spectacular style, though, as is the case with Hermansen.
Now there could be another Sullivan masterclass on the cards.
Claret and Hugh count Sullivan among their close contacts at West Ham.
Quoting their “club insider” – believed to be Sullivan – their update on West Ham’s stance over Southampton’s valuation of Fernandes is clear.
“We won’t pay more,” the Hammers source, believed to be Sullivan, told the site.
“The hard bit is finding players who are available who we think can improve our team.”
Fernandes joined Saints for £15m from Sporting last summer before playing his part in one of the worst teams in Premier League history, picking up a miserable 12 points.
So West Ham’s offer to double Southampton’s money can hardly be described as derisory in the way that is being suggested on the south coast.
With the Hammers refusing to pay more, it seems to have smoked Saints boss Still out.
Still’s Southampton admission will delight West Ham
The lifelong West Ham fan has been speaking about Southampton’s transfer situation.
And it will be music to Sullivan’s ears as it potentially gives the Hammers the upper hand.
Southampton are now trying to sign Coventry City midfielder Jack Rudoni according to Sky Sports journalist Mike McGrath.
Rudoni is being touted as a potential replacement for Fernandes, so that in itself is encouraging for West Ham.
And while Southampton are not in the same kind of PSR difficulty which saw the Hammers able to get Hermansen for a song, Still has confirmed they must sell players in order to invest.
“I hope so (Southampton will make more signings),” Still told BBC Sport.
“I hope we get a few in and we need to move another few on, which is still a part of it.
“We’ll see how it works.”
Advantage West Ham?
It does feel like Hermansen all over again.
Hammers and Saints fans don’t have too long to find out whether Sullivan is playing another blinder.
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