Credit: Imago
Wed 22 April 2026 10:10, UK
West Ham United appear to have made Matheus Martinelli a priority target for the summer transfer window.
The Hammers tried to sign Martinelli in the winter transfer window, but their offer was knocked back by Fluminense at the time.
Martinelli is wanted by multiple teams in Europe, but the midfielder was deemed not for sale earlier this year.
That could change in the summer, however, and West Ham are serious about their interest in Martinelli.
And with the window now less than a couple of months away from opening, a new West Ham transfer update has dropped.
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West Ham United ready to go again for Matheus Martinelli
West Ham’s failed bid for Martinelli earlier this year was reported to be in the region of £10.2million.
Since then Martinelli has extended his contract with Palmeiras and stated he would have signed on until 2050 if he could have, rather than to December 2030.
NameDate of birthPlace of birth ClubsMatheus Martinelli Lima5 October, 2001 (age 24)Presidente Prudente, BrazilFluminense (2020-present)Matheus Martinelli factfile
However, signing a new deal does not necessarily mean a player intends to see that out. Instead, it means the selling club are covered in terms of interested clubs having to bid a bit more.
As per an update via RTI Esporte on Tuesday, West Ham are very much still interested in bringing the 24-year-old to the Premier League.
The report adds that West Ham intend to be even more “aggressive” this time around, with a bid slightly north of £13m perhaps being enough.
As previously stated, West Ham are not alone in showing an interest, but they believe a move to the Premier League could suit Martinelli.
Credit: Imago and Breaking Media
He is considered a priority midfield signing, although it all depends on the Hammers staying in the Premier League.
What type of player is West Ham target Martinelli?
Martinelli is a defensive midfielder who has spent his entire senior career to date with Brazilian heavyweights Fluminense.
The Sao Paulo native has racked up over 300 appearances for Fluminense, including 21 this season.
In his 21 league outings, he has scored no goals and assisted one, but creating and scoring goals is not his forte.
His strengths instead lie in his passing ability, as he boasts a 90 per cent pass accuracy, while he recovers the ball 4.2 times per game.
While the links with Martinelli may have come somewhat out of the blue a few months back, it is becoming quite apparent he is something West Ham like the look of a lot.