West Ham United will reportedly fight to keep Mateus Fernandes even if they are relegated this season – but every player has a price.
Indeed, West Ham reportedly might need to sell players this summer in a bid to balance the books, and that will almost certainly be the case if they are relegated into the Championship come the end of the campaign.
Serious question – are you taking a peak Mateus Fernandes or a peak Lucas Paqueta in your dream midfield?!
A graphic showing Mateus Fernandes being voted Man of the Match by West Ham fans vs Burnley.
Credit: Getty Images/Chris Brunskill/Fantasista
Though no one of a West Ham persuasion here in east London will want to think like this, Fernandes is one of the club’s most sellable assets.
The midfielder has been brilliant since joining from Southampton, the point where Fernandes has been linked with Manchester United.
Now, more insight has emerged.
West Ham value Mateus Fernandes between £50-£70m
According to noted transfer expert Ben Jacobs, the club value Fernandes between £50-£70million.
Though vague, that feels about right. West Ham paid around £40million to sign Fernandes from Southampton, and his value would surely have only gone up since after such a strong season despite West Ham’s wider struggles.
Jacobs does add that the club will fight to keep him even if they are relegated.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
How does Mateus Fernandes compare to a young Declan Rice? 🇵🇹
What can he still IMPROVE upon?
West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Sunderland at London Stadium on January 24, 2026 in London, England.
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Speaking to The United Stand, Jacobs said: “West Ham are going to fight to keep him even if they go down by the way, but obviously they’re going to be in a much weaker position if that happens.”
He added “You’re looking also at being informed by the other market valuations.
“So it’s not as kind of exciting as an out and out transfer, but the market is about movements and fluctuations.
“So if Sandro Tonali went for £100plus million, then that will still help inform the valuation of Mateus Fernandes. So people often come to me and they say an individual based on their market valuation, based on their form should be worth X, Y, or Z.
“But X Y, or Z doesn’t mean a great deal if you’ve got another player that goes for an inflated value because of course every single club is going to point to whatever that fee is and say our player should be worth something similar.
“So I think you’re looking at above the reported figures for Joao Gomes, for Mateus Fernandes. I don’t think he’ll be £70 millionplus, but I don’t think he’ll be under £50million either. So somewhere in that gap.”
West Ham United v Leeds United - Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final
Photo by Izzy Poles – AMA/Getty Images
The proof, of course, will be in the pudding.
It’s promising to hear that the club aren’t prepared to make life easy for any of the clubs linked with a move for the Portugal international.
Still, so much depends on Premier League survival. There’s no guarantee he will stay at the club next season regardless, but West Ham can clearly drive a much harder bargain if they do remain in England’s elite division.
Fernandes has been a brilliant signing for West Ham and, such is the way of modern football, it’s a crying shame they are unlikely to be able to build around him going forward.
The best way they can ensure they are well-rewarded for taking the risk on signing him from relegated Southampton is by staying up this season.
It doesn’t mean that West Ham will sell for a knockdown price should they be relegated, just that they are surely in a much better bargaining position if they are indeed a Premier League team.
Even this far out from the summer transfer window, Fernandes looks like a major story to follow.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox