REAL MADRID ALERT: MATEUS FERNANDES LINKED WITH SHOCK MOVE TO THE BERNABéU RECENTLY
West Ham face a double exit as Flamengo bid for Lucas Paqueta and Real Madrid target Mateus Fernandes via a £20m relegation clause.
West Ham United might lose one of their top players soon, and the non-stop talk about Lucas Paquetá only adds to the tension.
Tottenham Hotspur are on the hunt for another attacker for Thomas Frank this January. They’re not alone. Several clubs want Paquetá, but he’s leaning toward Flamengo. He’s already turned down one bid from the Brazilian side, who won the 2025 Copa Libertadores. Now, The Athletic says Flamengo came back with a second offer—over £35 million, add-ons included—but West Ham said no again.
West Ham wants more than £50 million to let Paquetá go. With less than two weeks left in the January window, the club’s in a tight spot. They’re just five points above the drop zone, and losing Paquetá now would make it tough to find a replacement.
And Paqueta isn’t the only one they have to worry about. If West Ham slips into the Championship, another key midfielder could be on his way out.
Now, about Mateus Fernandes—reports from Spain (via West Ham Zone) say several West Ham players have relegation clauses in their contracts. Fernandes, who’s been a standout since joining last summer on £60,000 a week, is one of them. If the club goes down, he can leave for around £20 million, which is about half of what West Ham paid for him. That price tag has put him on Real Madrid’s radar. He’s on a shortlist with names like Rodri and Vitinha, and Madrid sees him as a realistic target to boost their midfield.
Other clubs know about the clause too, but let’s face it—Madrid’s pull is hard to match. Fernandes is only 21, but his potential is clear. Former Southampton midfielder Jo Tessem spoke about him on BBC Radio Solent’s Southampton podcast in March 2025: “[Fernandes] is becoming an ultimate Premier League midfielder, and clubs are not going to let that go. He plays like a Premier League player. He passes like a Premier League player. He is quick like a Premier League player. He conducts himself so well in midfield.”
West Ham need Fernandes if they want to claw their way out of the bottom three. But if they end up relegated, it’s tough to imagine him sticking around.
CONOR GALLAGHER CONFIRMED AS "VITAL" STARTER FOR SPURS FOLLOWING BENTANCUR’S INJURY LAYOFF
Conor Gallagher proved the doubters wrong against Man City. Discover why his €40m move to Tottenham is finally paying off for Spurs.
Chelsea and Atletico Madrid both decided Conor Gallagher wasn’t worth the trouble. At Chelsea, he had his moments—Pochettino liked him, but the fans never really warmed up. When Chelsea shipped him off to Atletico, it made sense. Enzo Fernandez stepped up, took over Gallagher’s role, and fit in perfectly next to Caicedo, with Cole Palmer adding that extra spark up front.
Things didn’t get much better for Gallagher in Spain. He barely got a chance at Atleti, lost his spot in the starting eleven, and pretty much ended up on the transfer list before anyone had time to blink. Interest was lukewarm at best until the winter window rolled around. Aston Villa wanted him and went after him pretty aggressively, but then Tottenham swooped in late. Spurs needed someone to patch up the midfield after Bentancur’s injury, so they just paid up—40 million euros, no hesitation.
His start at Tottenham? Rough. Honestly, that was to be expected. He’d played well at Palace before, but after his struggles at Atleti, he needed time to adjust. Sitting on the bench in Spain didn’t do him any favours.
Then Gallagher showed up. People doubted whether he could really add creativity and move the ball forward for Spurs, so his early struggles got people worried. But then came the 2-2 draw against Manchester City. He suddenly looked like the player both Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank were so desperate to sign.
Against City, Gallagher flipped the script. He set up a crucial assist, drove play forward on the dribble, and kept drawing fouls—everything the Spurs needed. Defensively, he was all over the place in a good way: two tackles, three interceptions, a full 90 minutes, and a huge part of the Spurs clawing their way back into the game.
Tottenham fans loved it. They saw the effort, the attitude, and the hunger to win. Gallagher just wouldn’t quit, and in that second half, he, Xavi Simons, Pape Matar Sarr, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke ran the show. Four of those guys have been carrying Spurs lately, so Gallagher is fitting right in with them. That’s a pretty good sign he’s going to work out just fine in North London.
AC MILAN MEDICAL FAILURE: THE HIDDEN KNEE INJURY THAT CRUSHED MATETA’S £30M MOVE
Jean-Philippe Mateta's £30m move to AC Milan is OFF. Discover why a failed medical has put his France World Cup dreams in jeopardy.