It goes without saying that Mateus Fernandes, arguably West Ham United’s stand-out player not named ‘Jarrod Bowen’, is desperate to avoid a repeat of how his debut Premier League campaign ended at Southampton.
The good news is that, with thirteen, Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers already have more points on the board than Southampton did in May of this year. That rather pathetic tally of twelve is the second-lowest ever in the top-flight, above only the infamous Derby County side of 2007/08.
No wonder Fernandes is suffering from Southampton-themed PTSD. The Portugal Under-21 captain admitted, after a defeat by Leeds in October cemented West Ham United’s worst start to a season in over half a century, that he was experiencing worrying flashbacks to the previous campaign at St Mary’s.
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Fortunately, new-found fan favourite Fernandes has given the Hammers reason for optimism heading into the New Year.
Graham Potter really did sign an ‘ultimate Premier League midfielder’, to quote former Saints captain Jo Tessem. Not only their best creator of chances, and the fastest top-flight goalscorer of 2025/26, but also statistically their most reliable ball-winner too.
Speaking of the Saints, Mateus Fernandes now opens up on the Remi Martins podcast about the reasons for his departure and why he felt the need to apologise to the supporters in red and white stripes.
Mateus Fernandes said sorry to Southampton when joining West Ham United
West Ham paid £40 million to sign the Sporting Lisbon academy graduate in August. Until then, only a week or so remaining in the window, it appeared that Southampton were likely to hang onto one of their prized assets.
That was until the Hammers made a bid their recently-relegated rivals could not refuse.
Fernandes said ‘sorry’, via his official Instagram account, packed his bags, and headed north to London.
“I think being with my loved ones made a difference, [and the Southampton fans] were always very affectionate. I always received a lot of support,” Fernandes says. “My family, my friends, my girlfriend also felt that warmth, because I was welcomed. There were also many Portuguese people who helped me.
“My apology was because perhaps I felt they expected even more from me. This was my apology, because of the support they gave me, and the affection I felt and still feel to this day. Football generates a lot of emotions. Everyone reacts differently.
“Obviously, [some fans] were very upset.
“It wasn’t a matter of abandoning them, because individually I knew that to achieve my goals, I had to be at a higher level. In other words, it was an apology because they probably thought I was going to stay and speculated that I was going to stay.
“They were very, very affectionate, and I ended up leaving because the team made a super, super correct approach. It had to be for something that I felt was truly worthwhile, that made sense, and where I could play many minutes. That’s what happened [with West Ham].”
West Ham’s record when it comes to BIG MONEY signings isn’t great 💸
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West Ham went the extra mile to bring Fernandes to London
Then-Southampton coach Will Still said Fernandes wanted to leave because of a desire to represent Portugal at the 2025 World Cup. The 21-year-old remains on the fringe of Roberto Martinez’s senior squad, but would have stood next to no chance of securing a seat on the plane had he remained in England’s second tier.
Fernandes spoke warmly of Graham Potter, too, feeling that he would instil a style of football well-suited to the midfield dynamo’s strengths. It is under compatriot Nuno, though, that the energetic Iberian is really beginning to shine.
“When the club showed me the project, I felt from the beginning that it was special. They sent a 20-minute video explaining afternoon by afternoon,” Fernandes adds, West Ham going the extra mile to get a deal done.
“Living in London is also different; there are lots of things to do, and even if things aren’t working out, you can also keep your head clear, that was important too.
“Therefore, it was a series of situations that led to this outcome. As I said, I was very happy at Southampton. It’s a place I care about, which I carry with great affection, and my family too. But I am also very happy at West Ham, and I’m really enjoying playing for them.
“[This is the right club for me], without a doubt. Living in London, as I said, is fantastic. Playing in a stadium with 60,000 people every game is fantastic. It’s great to have people speaking Portuguese at the club [like Nuno]. It also helps immensely.
“Therefore, there’s a set of factors that make me feel very comfortable, and that’s also why my performances are good. I feel comfortable, I feel stable, I know that there are people who tell me things to my face within the club, and which will help me evolve even further.
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