As much as the West Ham United faithful would love to see him stay, the inevitable departure of Mateus Fernandes is also the trigger which could spark a much-needed summer rebuild into action.
Despite bitter rivals Tottenham showing an interest in the Portugal international, Manchester United remains the most likely destination for an £80 million-rated Mateus Fernandes.
The Hammers cannot be blamed for holding out in the hope of receiving a fee double the one they forked over to Southampton eleven months ago.
Fernandes is the most valuable asset at the London Stadium, after all.
How would you feel about selling Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham? 👀
It would feel so wrong seeing him in a Spurs shirt 😬
His sale alone could finance the pursuit of many leading West Ham United targets as Nuno Espirito Santo and potentially Steve Nickson – the Newcastle recruitment chief is still expected to join despite the an approach from Wrexham – look to build a squad capable of securing an immediate return to the Premier League.
One of those targets, according to ExWhuEmployee, is Jordan James. A player whose fate may be intertwined with that of Fernandes.
The sale of one opening the door, and freeing up the funds, for the other to take his place.
West Ham United target Jordan James will be sold by Rennes
According to Ouest France, Stade Rennais expected to sell a midfielder they value at around £13 million.
Given the similarities between the two players, James could help fill the void created by Fernandes’ departure while leaving plenty of funds spare for further additions.
It did not go unnoticed a few days ago when James appeared to go on a West Ham-themed follow streak on Instagram.
Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville and the official Hammers account; was this a less-than-subtle hint regarding the Welshman’s intentions? Perhaps a member of James’ camp – one controlling his social media output – had got a little ahead of themselves.
Either way, you can see why West Ham like the former Birmingham City kid. James scored 11 times from central midfield and claimed the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award last season, despite being part of a Leicester side relegated for a second successive campaign.
Both he and Fernandes as highly-adaptable midfielders who love to bomb forward. The possess physical capacity to thrive in a box-to-box role as well as the intelligence and tenacity to play deeper, they go about their business at a ferocious pace, and possess a thumping shot from distance.
“He’s a very good player,” a certain former Birmingham boss by the name of Wayne Rooney said back in 2023; James’ maturity and versatility standing out even in his teenage years.
“He can play as a [number] six but, watching him in training, seeing how he can reach the box and make really good runs, he’s a good finisher, in my opinion he’s a number eight.
“There’ll be times he plays as an eight, there’ll be times he plays as a six. He’s got that ability.”
James handled Jude Bellingham comparisons well at Birmingham City
Because they both burst onto the scene at St Andrews within a few years of each other, comparisons between James and Jude Bellingham were inevitable.
James might never scale the same heights of the Real Madrid dynamo – or even Mateus Fernandes, for that matter – but ex-Wales boss Rob Page felt those comparisons were not entirely wide of the mark.
How would YOU feel if West Ham sold Fernandes and bought Jordan James?
The Welshman is available for £13m… 🏴
“Every time he has stepped up with us, he has trained with personality. That is what I ask all the young players to do; make an impression, and he did from day one,” Page said shortly after handing James his first cap aged just 18.
“He reads the game well, he’s athletic, he likes a tackle, he can pass the ball, he can head it… he ticks a lot of boxes. He has got everything.”
With a career-best eleven during that loan spell at Leicester, James is adding new strings to his bow all the time. The 21-year-old is now a reliable source of goals, in addition to all the other strengths in his locker.
He has not yet unlocked Fernandes’ ability to pick up the ball deep and burst through the lines, but one suspects that will also come with time.
For now, £13 million for a 21-year-old midfielder with a couple of outstanding Championship seasons under his belt? That feels like good value. And it’s not often you can say this in the current market.
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