Freddie Potts hasn’t had too many chances to share a pitch with both Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa at the same time in a West Ham United jersey.
The Hammers trio have only started seven Premier League games together as a triumvirate at the core of Nuno Espirito Santo’s XI.
Yet, the Portuguese playmaker and the former Monaco maestro have clearly made a very good impression on Freddie Potts during the youngster’s breakout season in West Ham United’s first team.
Fernandes predicts a big future for Freddie Potts!
Who do YOU think will replace Bowen as the captain? ⚒️ 🇨
While Mateus Fernandes believes Potts could inherit the captain’s armband from Jarrod Bowen later down the line, the latter credits the former with making his life a lot more straightforward.
Soungoutou Magassa has not made quite so much of an impact but alongside Fernandes – the duo joined on the same late-August afternoon – he has helped the Hammers move away from a sluggish, ageing midfield towards a more youthful, dynamic selection.
Freddie Potts raves about Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa at West Ham United
“Mateus is a really technical player, very gifted, very good on the ball. When I play with him, it makes my job easier!” Potts says in a joint-interview opposite his fellow midfield partners, broadcast on West Ham’s official YouTube channel.
“And then Soungou, as well, very good technically and just a beast. Just very good physically. I wouldn’t want to play against him if I was on the other team!
“When we played as a three against Man Utd away [a 1-1 draw in December in which Magassa scored a late equaliser], we sort of worked together well and showed each other’s qualities.”
Returning from a three-game suspension, Potts could return to West Ham’s XI in the FA Cup fifth-round clash with Brentford on Monday. Fernandes may be rested, while Magassa deserves a start after shining at Fulham off the bench in midweek.
Magassa has had to bide his time in England. He even appeared to slip to fourth in Nuno’s midfield pecking order following January’s 3-0 collapse at Wolves. Inconsistent and erratic though he’s been, certainly, there are plenty of other moments when Magassa’s class has shone through.
If you think I’m talking rubbish by naming this team vs Brentford – let me know why 👇
Alternatively, feel free to let me what (if anything) I've got spot on 😂
Magassa explains what makes Fernandes an ideal partner
The France Under-21 international has arguably played his best stuff alongside Fernandes. The £40 million from Southampton loves to bomb on and showcase his box-to-box qualities, enabled by the presence of a more disciplined, defensively-minded partner such as Magassa.
“He is smart. He’s good technically,” Magassa says of Fernandes. “He doesn’t [run around] everywhere; he’s smart, he’s aggressive. I like to play with him because he runs and fights a lot
“Mateus is more creative than us [me and Potts]. And he scores! He’s a good finisher as well. Yeah, I like to play with these two guys.
“It was a very good feeling [to score the equaliser at Old Trafford]. We didn’t win the game, but it was a good feeling. Now, it is behind me and I hope to score again.”
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