**Ex-West Ham player Joe Cole says his former club made an excellent decision to bring in Mateus Fernandes last summer.**
The Hammers spent over £40m on the Portuguese international, but Cole thinks his attributes are more complementary to the club’s style of play than former midfielder Lucas Paqueta:
“First of all, Fernandes is a phenomenal player. For as talented a ball-player as he is, he gives himself to the team. He covers ground, he plays off both feet, and he’s a winner.”
“Paqueta is a wonderful footballer. But sometimes, he was the right player in the wrong place, it felt like. Changing him with Fernandes – who is young, vibrant, full of energy – really lifted the team.”
“I want to see Paqueta go and do his thing elsewhere, but it’s been a breath of fresh air having Fernandes in the team.”
Fernandes will play a key role in keeping the club up
-----------------------------------------------------
As Cole points out, the 21-year-old’s all-action style has added dynamism and energy in West Ham’s midfield that was sorely lacking before his arrival.
Keeping Fernandes fit, along with the likes of [**Axel Disasi**](https://hammersheadlines.com/west-ham-injury-news-axel-disasi-jean-clair-todibo-konstantinos-mavropanos/), Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen, will undoubtedly be crucial if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are to retain their top-flight status over the next two months.
The vultures are already circling West Ham
------------------------------------------
Several rivals are believed to be keen on taking Fernandes off the club’s hands if they don’t manage to save themselves from relegation.
Manchester United have been heavily linked in recent days, with their captain, Bruno Fernandes, said to be a big fan of the midfielder. Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool have also been credited with an interest, although no team has formally made an approach for him up until now.
[**Want more news on West Ham? Add Hammers Headlines as a preferred source on Google**](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=HammersHeadlines)