West Ham agree £40m deal with Southampton for Mateus Fernandes as Graham Potter targets double midfield swoop in bid to ease pressure after disastrous start to the season

West Ham have agreed a deal for Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes worth more than £40million.

Saints had rejected multiple bids from the Hammers as they held out for their £50m asking price but have now accepted a deal for an initial £35m with add-ons taking the total package beyond £40m that also includes a sell-on clause.

Graham Potter is desperate to add quality to his midfield after a disastrous start to the season and the 21-year-old Portugal youth international has been top of his summer wanted list as he pushes for younger signings with room to develop and resale value.

Fernandes scored four goals and provided seven assists for Saints last season in a campaign that saw them relegated from the Premier League.

West Ham are also on the verge of a £17m move for Monaco midfielder Soungoutou Magassa as the club looks to make a flurry of late moves before the transfer window closes.

The Hammers have lost all three of their opening games of the season, leaving them bottom of the Premier League and out of the League Cup, conceding 11 goals, and consistently overrun in midfield.

Graham Potter is under huge pressure after losing his first three games of the season

Monaco midfielder Soungoutou Magassa is also close to joining in a further boost to Potter

 Potter started with James Ward-Prowse and Guido Rodriguez in their defeat to Wolves on Tuesday night.

Fernandes and Magassa would join wing-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, full-back Kyle Walker-Peters, striker Callum Wilson, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and the permanent arrival of former loanee centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo as West Ham’s summer signings.