When former Southampton manager Russell Martin said that West Ham United target Mateus Fernandes had ‘the potential to play wherever [he] wants’, his comments could have been taken in two different ways.
Did Martin mean that Mateus Fernandes was versatile and tactically astute enough to thrive in a variety of positions?
Throughout his debut season at Southampton, the Portugal Under-21 international was utilised in attack-minded, defensively-focused, and box-to-box roles, while even popping up on either flank.
Or was Russell Martin referring to Fernandes’ ability to follow in the footsteps of Virgil van Dijk, Luke Shaw, Sadio Mane and co? The latest diamond polished at Southampton, and destined to become a jewel in the crown of one of Europe’s elite institutions?
Either way, should West Ham United get their man – Southampton rejected the Hammers’ opening bid of £30 million on Tuesday but interest remains – Graham Potter will land the dynamic, ball-carrying, industrious yet highly-technical midfield monster he has spent much of the summer window chasing.
One likened to Romeo Lavia, who possesses shades of Alexis Mac Allister, and who may well become West Ham’s answer to Pep Guardiola’s £53 million utility man.
West Ham United target Mateus Fernandes was likened to Romeo Lavia at Southampton
The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg reported recently that West Ham are ‘confident’ of landing Mateus Fernandes before the window shuts in just over a fortnight’s time. That prediction, though, was made before Southampton made it clear that they were looking for a fee similar to the one Chelsea paid for Romeo Lavia in 2023.
In short, somewhere between £50 – £60 million.
Speaking of Lavia, a colossal talent if an increasingly injury-prone one, former Saints skipper Jo Tessem feels that Fernandes is another who falls firmly into the ‘too good for the Championship’ category.
“Mateus Fernandes is on people’s radar because every week he plays his heart out. He is by far the best player on the football pitch from a Saints perspective,” Tessem told BBC Radio Solent Southampton; The Sporting Lisbon academy graduate the standout performer in a miserable season alongside the similarly-coveted Tyler Dibling not to mention a goalscorer against champions Liverpool.
“I said the same about Romeo Lavia. I didn’t think he would stay for a season in the Championship and he didn’t. [Fernandes] is on a similar level, albeit a different type of player. He is becoming an ultimate Premier League midfielder and clubs are not going to let that go.
“He plays like a Premier League player. He passes like a Premier League player. He is quick like a Premier League player. He conducts himself so well in midfield.”
Martin, shortly before his sacking last December, neatly summed up the attributes Mateus Fernandes possesses in droves. The attributes West Ham, and Potter, are looking for as they chase a midfielder capable of combining the drive of Mohammed Kudus with a tenacious streak out of possession.
Fernandes, Martin said, cannot merely be summed up by his ‘talent, guile, [or] creativity’ but also his ‘intensity, desire, and fight to win’.
Matheus Nunes-like Fernandes can be Graham Potter’s new Alexis Mac Allister
Fernandes topped the Southampton charts in 2024/25 for Premier League assists [four], while only Ryan Manning and the aforementioned Dibling averaged more key passes or successful dribbles per match.
Only nine top-flight midfielders – among them Casemiro, Joao Gomes and Potter’s former Brighton favourites Moises Caicedo and Alexis MacAllister – averaged more than his 2.5 tackles per 90 minutes as well.
While Southampton’s eye-watering demands may have some fans accepting defeat in a battle they feel the Hammers have no chance of winning, that £50 – £60 million price-tag does not appear to be the knockout blow some fear.
Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam – intriguingly, a podcast partner of David Sullivan’s son, Jack – insists that talks between West Ham and Southampton are ongoing.
Graham Potter’s new Alexis Mac Allister? Maybe. Perhaps there is a more suitable comparison to be made elsewhere in England’s first division.
Vasco Seabra, the coach who worked with Mateus Fernandes during a loan spell at Estoril in 2023/24, told the BBC that Manchester City’s £53 million all-action playmaker Matheus Nunes is the sort of footballer he could develop into in a league perfectly-suited to his blend of physicality and finesse.
“Talking about Mateus is very easy for me because he is a really good guy, very humble and with immense talent,” Seabra said just days before Southampton struck a bargain £15 million deal with Sporting.
“So it is easy to talk about a player with so many qualities that adapt so well to the Premier League. He is a very strong and aggressive player with a great ability to cover a lot of ground. He can run many kilometres per game, works hard for the team and can play further back, in the initial build-up phase.
“With us, he always helped in the build-up from the back, making the transition of the ball to the end zone. But he can also play further forward, close to the goal, because he can make good attacking moves from the back.
“Here in Portugal, he is often compared to Matheus Nunes. I believe that Mateus Fernandes has similar characteristics,” Seabra added, albeit while indicating that the latter possesses a flexibility the former Wolves dynamo cannot match.
“He is a player who can play in more positions than Matheus Nunes. He can play in the initial phase, further back, but at the same time, if necessary, he can also play between the lines, as a false winger.”
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