West Ham United appeared up against it right from the day those Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez links first emerged. Once Paris Saint-Germain entered the running for the Barcelona starlet, those already slim hopes disappeared for good.
It was reported back in October that West Ham were watching ‘Dro’ Fernandez’s situation closely at the Camp Nou, via Alan Nixon.
Try as they might, Barcelona just could not tie the silky Spain Under-18 international down to a new deal. As such, when the winter window creaked open, the La Liga champions faced losing one of the jewels of La Masia for a cut price fee.
Did you know we once bid £20m for Bruno Fernandes? 💸 🇵🇹
Which former target do you WISH we'd signed?
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 2-0 during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on February 7, 2026 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Unfortunately for West Ham United – but not exactly unsurprisingly – a smattering of eye-catching cameos under Hansi Flick had earned Dro plenty of admirers among the established European elite.
Paris Saint-Germain eventually triggered the £7 million release clause in the teenager’s Barcelona contract two months ago. Now, as he opens his account in his seventh appearance for the Parisians, those who wondered if PSG was a classic case of ‘too much, too soon’ are choking on their own sceptical words.
Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez shines at PSG after West Ham United missed out
Pedro 'Dro' Fernandez during FC Barcelona v Athletic de Bilbao - LaLiga EA Sports
Photo by Maria Garcia Jimenez /Soccrates/Getty Images
Dro was likened to Andres Iniesta, Thiago Alcantara and current Blaugrana string-puller Pedri while turning heads in Catalonia.
And his first Ligue 1 goal in PSG colours – coming in Saturday’s 4-0 victory away at crisis-hit OGC Nice – came from the sort of left-sided ‘advanced eight’ role Iniesta made his own during over a decade in blue and red.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
“He’s a fantastic player,” PSG teammate Warren Zaire-Emery told reporters, audibly impressed after seeing Dro cut inside and slot the coolest of finishes into the bottom corner. “He’s younger than me! What he’s doing is simply magnificent for his age.
“He needs to keep going like this, maintain his confidence, and we’ll be there to support him and put him in the best possible conditions.”
The Hammers may look to replace Lucas Paqueta this summer
There is a possibility that West Ham may have identified Dro – who provided his first Champions League assist at the age of just 17 – as someone capable of filling a Lucas Paqueta-shaped creativity void in central areas at the London Stadium.
AWB is our reigning Hammer of the Year! ⚒️ 🏆
But who is your favourite to win the award in 2026?
El Hadji Malick Diouf and Jarrod Bowen celebrate Fulham v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
West Ham have an interest in Napoli rising star Antonio Vergara, while Lyon’s newly-crowned Czech Footballer of the Year Pavel Sulc is reportedly a £40 million target himself.
Both will cost a lot more than the fee PSG paid to take Dro away from Barcelona, though. A teenager whose potential is almost unrivalled across European football.
“He’s an intelligent player, technically very sound. He understands the concept of ‘I draw the ball out to create space,’” French football expert and current Bordeaux coach Bruno Irles told Canal Plus.
After comparisons with Iniesta, Thiago and Pedri, Irles throws another into the mix; 2025 Champions League winner Fabian Ruiz.
“He can build up play, hold his own, and be versatile. He’s not an ultra-fast player, but he knows how to operate centrally, retain possession, and orchestrate the game. With hard work, we can bring him to the level of Fabian Ruiz.”
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox