West Ham United currently sit in the Premier League relegation zone with nine games left to save their season.
It’s been a turbulent season for the Hammers. They started the campaign with Graham Potter before Nuno Espirito Santo took over at the back end of September.
The Hammers currently sit 18th on 28 points, and they’ll be looking at their remaining fixtures to see where they can get the required points to survive. And they’ll also be looking to Mateus Fernandes to help get them those points.
In this article, we’ll cover
Season so far
Fernandes joined West Ham this summer from Southampton after the Saints were relegated in the 2024-25 campaign. The Portuguese star joined for around £38million plus £4m worth of add-ons.
The 21-year-old midfielder won both Southampton’s Player of the Season and their Fans’ Player of the Season awards, being the clear stand out in a relatively poor Saints side last campaign.
Fernandes has made 28 appearances since joining the club, scoring three goals and providing three assists across all competitions.
The versatile midfielder has shown the capacity to play out wide, in attacking areas and in a deeper midfield role. The latter coincides with the best of his form, platforming his best qualities and helping West Ham in key areas.
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Pass master
Fernandes is currently averaging the most passes completed for West Ham this season with 40.03 per 90 minutes. His passes attempted have gone up since Lucas Paqueta left the club in the January transfer window.
Since the Brazilian left the club, Fernandes has been given a clear freedom to control proceeding in the middle of the park, dropping between the central defenders to get on the ball and orchestrate from deep.
His ability to connect passes and circulate possession, bait the opposition press and then find those line breaking passes or switches of play with his long passing range has been crucial for West Ham and their improvement over the past month or two.
Fernandes exudes confidence on the ball, willing to take it under pressure and find solutions to progress play, whether it be through his passing quality or his ability to carry the ball and manipulate his own progression angles.
But the 21-year-old isn’t just a luxury player on the ball. He also has the grit and bite that a Premier League midfielder needs to survive in the current tactical landscape.
- Fernandes has the most through ball completed for West Ham this season (5).
- Fernandes has the most long passes completed for West Ham this season (117).
- Fernandes has the second-most chances created for West Ham this season (28).
Defensive bite
Fernandes is leading West Ham in tackles, possessions won in the defensive third and possessions won in the middle third, which has been a huge asset for the side this season. A big weakness last campaign was their lack of mobility in the middle of the park.
The Portuguese midfielder reads danger well, has the physical capacity to cover ground quickly and win those loose ball duels, helping West Ham protect against transitions, but also threaten in transition themselves once regaining possession.
Fernandes plays with intensity in the press, putting the opposition under pressure and looking to force mistakes, helping West Ham to force turnovers in key areas and launch their own attacks.
All of these defensive factors are vital for Premier League midfielders, as man to man pressing continues to rise in its popularity.
- Fernandes has the most possessions won in the defensive third for West Ham this season (70).
- Fernandes has the most possessions won in the middle third for West Ham this season (55).
- Fernandes has the second-most possessions won in the attacking third for West Ham this season (14).
- Fernandes has made the most tackles for West Ham this season (75).
Possible move?
In an ever-evolving Premier League landscape which becomes increasingly physical, midfielders who can carry out a number of tactical demands are vital.
Man-for-man pressing has become a key component for many clubs in the Premier League. So midfielders who can both carry out those out of possession demands, but also thrive on the ball under that level of pressure, are heavily desired.
The likes of Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton are just a few names being heavily touted for big moves this summer. But Fernandes could be another option who suits the big sides perfectly, especially if West Ham are to go down.
Fernandes would be attainable at a good price should the Hammers fail to survive, making the Portugal midfielder a viable option for plenty of top sides, at a much cheaper price compared to the likes of Anderson, Baleba and Wharton.