West Ham have had a £30million bid rejected for Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
Hammers boss Graham Potter identified the 21-year-old as his top target as he looks to bolster his midfield ahead of the new season.
Relegated Saints turned down West Ham’s opening offer, which is understood to be around half their valuation of the player.
It remains to be seen whether the Hammers will return with an improved bid with insiders acknowledging the two clubs’ valuations are very different.
Fernandes came on as a second-half substitute in Southampton’s dramatic victory over Wrexham on the opening day of the Championship season.