West Ham midfielder Edimilson Fernandes heading to Mainz in £8m transfer deal

WEST HAM midfielder Edimilson Fernandes is heading to Mainz in an £8million deal.

The Switzerland international, 23, has agreed terms on a Bundesliga move after three seasons in the Premier League.

In 48 games for the Hammers, he has managed one goal, which came in a League Cup win over Chelsea in October 2016.

The majority of those appearances came as a substitute following his £5m move from Sion in 2016 under Slaven Bilic’s management.

But after two years and still struggling to become a regular started, he was allowed to leave temporarily this season.

Fernandes went to Fiorentina in Italy and Mainz tracked his progress throughout his campaign in Serie A.

He played 33 times and scored twice for the Italian side.

And the German outfit have moved swiftly to secure his signature this summer.

The cash from the sale will boost West Ham’s kitty for the summer, with the club making a profit on the midfielder.

And boss Manuel Pellegrini will now try and sign a defensive midfielder with Andre Gomes his No1 target.

Gomes, 25, impressed on loan at Everton last season.

He made 29 appearances during his spell at Goodison Park.

And the Portuguese star is wanted by Pellegrini if a permanent deal can be thrashed out with Barcelona.

The Catalan giants are understood to have rejected an £18m bid from the East London club.