Just in case anybody was under any illusion about the quality and potential of West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, surely his nomination for PFA Young Player of the Year will silence any remaining naysayers.
Unfortunately, that same effervescence and quality which has brought him to the attention of the Professional Footballers’ Association has also alerted a number of big clubs and prompted reports that West Ham would be willing to sell him in the summer.
Up until about four hours ago, top of the list of interested clubs was Manchester United. Yesterday a football agent told C&H “you’ll never get £84m for Fernandes”, but he remains in high demand.
But now we hear Mikel Arteta is a huge admirer of the player and Arsenal would look to sign him in the summer.
Look, I am nobody’s fool and I understand that irrespective of whichever division West Ham find themselves in next season, Fernandes will be hard to keep at the London Stadium.
Most Read on West Ham News
But honestly, sell him to Arsenal . . . you’ve got to be kidding, right?
Arsenal Move Would Be Too Much To Take
Robert Banks once wrote a book entitled An Irrational Hatred of Luton.
He was talking about the football club rather than the town, just in case anyone was wondering.
Anyway, I have a very rational hatred of Arsenal and having seen the Hammers sell Declan Rice to the same club, I have no desire whatsoever to see our latest brightest talent travel in the same direction.
And it’s not just about Sunday’s disallowed Callum Wilson goal which had everybody talking about VAR until yesterday’s debacle involving Celtic and Motherwell.
My dislike of the Gunners runs far deeper than that.
West Ham Cannot Repeat The Rice Situation
There has to be some parallel universe in which we do not sell a player who has the potential to become one of the brightest footballers in Europe to our London rivals.
And after what has happened in the last few days, considering the back-and-forth between both sets of supporters, we absolutely have to make sure Arteta does not get his grubby hands on our lovely midfielder, who it looks like we may only get to enjoy for one season.