West Ham advances for Josh Mulligan as the successor to Mateus Fernandes.

West Ham is preparing a market move and has already identified Josh Mulligan as the direct replacement for Mateus Fernandes, a midfielder coveted by Manchester United and valued at €80 million. The young Scot from Hibernian, at just 23 years old, has become the top target for three Championship clubs, in a race that promises to heat up the summer transfer window in British football.

In recent hours, sources close to the negotiations have confirmed that West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Southampton are monitoring the midfielder, after Mulligan had a breakout season with Hibernian. The player stood out in the Scottish Premiership with five assists, one goal, and a display of energy, versatility, and transition power that immediately caught the attention of English scouts. Both West Ham and Wolverhampton, rebuilding their squads after relegations, have already made preliminary contacts to gauge Hibernian’s willingness to negotiate for the player.

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West Ham sees Mulligan as the natural successor to Mateus Fernandes, whose transfer to Manchester United is on the table, despite difficult negotiations with the “Red Devils” regarding the player’s value. With the squad in need of fresh and dynamic blood, the Londoners consider the Scottish midfielder the ideal profile to provide a different rotation in midfield, betting on youth and ball progression ability. On the Wolverhampton side, the focus is also on renewing the team, while Southampton does not hide its desire to strengthen the midfield area to continue its restructuring process, especially in light of the possible departure of Shea Charles to Leeds, in a transfer valued at 20 million euros.

Hibernian, however, is not powerless in this behind-the-scenes battle. Josh Mulligan has a contract valid until 2027, putting the Scottish club in a comfortable position to negotiate and demand a significant fee for the player’s sale. Despite this leeway, Hibs officials already admit that the pressure will increase in the coming weeks, with several formal offers on the way, given the meteoric rise in value of the former Scotland U21 international.

The importance of this dossier goes beyond the simple transfer of another young talent. For West Ham, signing Mulligan represents an immediate response to the likely departure of Mateus Fernandes and a clear signal that the club does not intend to lose competitiveness, even after a troubled season and relegation to the Championship. “We are keeping an eye on the market and want players who are hungry to win,” a member of the West Ham structure confided to the English press, emphasizing that “Mulligan fits perfectly into the profile we are looking for the future.”

Josh Mulligan himself has already expressed his willingness to take the next step in his career, recently admitting that “the Premier League and the Championship are challenges that any player aspires to reach,” a statement that has only intensified speculation surrounding his immediate future.

In the coming weeks, an authentic bidding war is expected for the midfielder, with three English clubs prepared to raise their offers to secure the signing before the start of the new season. Hibernian, for its part, is gearing up to maximize its financial gain, knowing that Mulligan’s valuation could represent one of the biggest deals in the club’s recent history. Mulligan’s entry into English football promises to shake things up and could transform the midfield of any of the interested clubs, making this dossier one of the hottest in the British transfer market this summer.

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