It seems West Ham are in a tug of war with Everton to sign Gedson Fernandes from Benfica in the January transfer window.
According to reports from Sky Sports (transfer live blog, 13:19), West Ham remains the preferred destination for the Benfica midfielder who has a £102 million release clause.
The Athletic reported earlier that Everton have stolen a march on their Premier League rivals to secure the signature of the 20-year-old. The Toffees are looking for an 18-month loan deal with an option to buy for £34 million, and talks are being held with the player’s representatives.
The report claims that Fernandes is currently in Lisbon with his representatives as the two clubs continue talks over a potential move.
While Everton are in the driving seat in getting a deal for him, the youngster personally prefers a move to London. It is certain that the player is heading for the exit having fallen out with manager Bruno Lage and not featuring in their last seven matches.
Meanwhile, the Hammers boss David Moyes is unsure about whether he can get the deal done for the highly-rated young midfielder.
Having been asked if the deal was close to being completed, Moyes said: “I can’t tell you. Your question is very straight and I can’t say if it will happen.
“We would like to add to the squad but we need to get the right players.”
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