Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby thinks Mateus Fernandes will leave West Ham sooner rather than later.
The Portuguese international has been one of the Hammers’ standout performers since his £42m switch from Southampton last summer, having started 33 times in all competitions, and Molby rates him extremely highly:
“I think he’s exceptional, and I mean exceptional. That boy ain’t staying at West Ham, regardless of what happens.”
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“He’s got it all. He’s mobile. He’s technically very good. He reminds me a bit of the two Portuguese midfielders who run and dominate at PSG. This boy’s the real deal.”
Fernandes has plenty of admirers
Molby is certainly not the only former player to have lavished praise on the 21-year-old in recent weeks. When asked to rate Premier League midfielders for a TikTok video, Manchester United legend Roy Keane ranked him above the likes of Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Manchester United’s Casemiro and Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch.
Even current stars, such as Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, are believed to be big fans.
West Ham will face a battle to keep him
If the Irons lose their top-flight status, it is hard to see the London club keeping hold of Fernandes no matter the circumstances.
Things may be different if Nuno’s men do survive relegation, but you would expect approaches from other clubs this summer, regardless.
Molby has compared Fernandes to Paris Saint-Germain pair Vitinha and Joao Neves, and reports in the French media suggest the Ligue One side have made contact with the West Ham player’s agent.
Manchester United are also keeping tabs on the midfielder (reportedly on the recommendation of Bruno Fernandes), while Manchester City could also enter the race for his services.
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