Arsenal have been linked with a move for West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who was astonishingly left out of Portugal’s World Cup squad despite having a phenomenal campaign.
While the Hammers ended up being relegated from the Premier League, that takes nothing away from the highly sought-after 21-year-old star, who is considered an “ultimate Premier League midfielder”.
Fernandes is one of several players looking to jump ship this summer, but it would hardly be a straightforward deal for Arsenal, as the midfielder is wanted by half the clubs in Europe.
The Portuguese star has already been linked with the biggest clubs in Europe, including reigning Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Manchester United have also been credited with an interest, while Real Madrid are the latest to join the race for the Portugal international.
However, Arsenal should be pulling out all the stops to make sure he ends up at the Emirates Stadium this summer, although West Ham’s £80 million asking price could be a huge stumbling block.
Fernandes could help Arsenal establish Premier League dominance
After 22 years of disappointment and the agony of missing out on the Premier League title in four consecutive seasons, Arsenal finally broke the curse last term.
The Gunners beat Manchester City to the Premier League title, and there’s a general feeling that Mikel Arteta’s side can go on to dominate the league in the coming years.
Their chances of pulling it off have increased significantly with Pep Guardiola leaving Man City this summer, but Arsenal’s recruitment will also be a yardstick to determine their long-term ambitions.
Signing Fernandes will undoubtedly be a massive statement of intent, further bolstering a midfield that dominated the Premier League throughout the campaign.
Fernandes may have spent just two years in the Premier League so far, but he already has bags of experience under his belt, which will be valuable for Arsenal.
He has been relegated twice, but that hardly dampens his phenomenal technical abilities, which have made him a standout performer during his Premier League spell.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of reducing a player’s impact to goals and assists, but Fernandes’ underlying numbers mean he can walk into the starting line-up of most top teams in Europe.
That alone should be enough for Arsenal to jump to the front of the queue, with the battle for Fernandes’ signature likely to be a major transfer saga this summer.
Fernandes is versatile and can play across several positions in midfield.
Only West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen (45) created more chances than Fernandes, and his passing range and ability to dictate tempo further increased his value.
He’s also willing to do the dirty work off the ball, with only two West Ham players averaging more defensive contributions per 90 minutes than the Portuguese midfielder (11).
Fernandes’ tireless work ethic makes him a high-value asset, and the possibility of pairing him in midfield with Declan Rice should send shivers across the Premier League.