Mateus Fernandes surely exit-bound after what West Ham star did vs Sunderland
West Ham raised eyebrows when announcing the signing of Mateus Fernandes from Southampton for £42million.
The Hammers have been desperate for goals this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo adding Taty Castellanos and Pablo to the squad this month.
There was the possibility of Callum Wilson leaving the London Stadium, but he appears to have changed the manager’s mind, especially with his winner against Tottenham.
And one player who has quickly changed the minds of supporters is Fernandes, who many thought the club had massively overpaid for when signing him from a relegated club.
Since his arrival, ahead of the clash with Sunderland on Saturday, 24 January, the midfielder had two goals and two assists to his name.
Mateus Fernandes flies through Sunderland win
Just 43 minutes into proceedings in East London, though, and the 21-year-old had another goal in the back of the net, firing home from long range for the Irons’ third of the afternoon.
It was more than just his goal, though. He dictated play, controlling a midfield which was missing Granit Xhaka, deservedly winning Ally McCoist‘s Player of the Match award, before nearly drilling home a second.
During his 90 minutes on the pitch, he had 67 touches, with 10 passes into the final third, completing 89 per cent of his long balls, and also winning 100 per cent of his seven ground duels [FotMob].
He won the most tackles in the games, winning three of his five, while also making four recoveries, and being fouled once, but this could all be bad news for the Hammers, in the end.
Premier League race to heat up for the West Ham star
Multiple Premier League clubs, as well as teams across Europe, are massively interested in the 21-year-old, with both Man City and Man United emerging in the race for his signature.
The young midfielder has just proven he has what it takes to take a game by the scruff of the neck, in a high-stakes situation, and come out the other side completely unscathed.
Lucas Paqueta is edging closer to leaving West Ham, making Fernandes’ performance all the more important for the Irons, but the club could be without another star, either this month or in the summer.
Clubs are already lining up for the new big-money signing, but after his display at the London Stadium, the Hammers might be able to add a few more millions onto his price tag.