‘Clubs circling’ - West Ham sent Mateus Fernandes transfer warning by Joe Cole as ‘proper player’ generates Man Utd & Liverpool speculation

Fernandes arrived in the Premier League when joining Southampton from Sporting in 2024. He is a product of the fabled academy system that has previously put the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Rafael Leao on the path to superstardom.

A testing debut campaign in England saw Fernandes suffer relegation out of the top-flight. He had, however, offered enough to convince West Ham that a £40 million ($54m) fee would represent value for money.

A slow start was made to his time in the East End, in an inconsistent season for the Hammers as a collective, but form has been found in another battle to beat the drop. Fernandes has become a fan favourite courtesy of his all-action approach and penchant for a spectacular strike.

The challenge facing the Hammers now is how to keep a 21-year-old with the potential for future growth on their books. Manchester United are sniffing around for reinforcements to their engine room, while Liverpool have been told that Fernandes could be a shrewd addition to the ranks at Anfield.

Former West Ham playmaker Cole - who has come out of retirement on a one-day loan deal to play for Warley FC, Specsavers’ Best Worst Team that registered one win and 18 defeats last season while conceding 81 goals - told GOAL when asked if the Hammers will do well to retain Fernandes on a long-term basis: “He's a great player. He's been a wonderful signing.

“He's a competitor. He's in the game all the time, which I like about him. He's a proper midfielder. He's complete. He can do everything. He can score a goal, make a goal, puts his foot in, works hard for the team. An absolute dream. Proper player, I really like him.

“Where West Ham are at the moment, you've just got to put any of those things aside. It's all about survival. But certainly, if West Ham get over the line and they survive in the Premier League, he's going to be one that they'll build the team around in the future, because there'll be clubs circling for sure.”

Fernandes is a player that gets supporters on their feet with his ability to snap into a tackle, drive forward with the ball and shoot from distance. He is an entertainer and never gives anything less than 100 per cent.

The same could once be said of Cole, as he stepped out of West Ham’s youth system to become one of the most exciting talents in the English game. He won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, 56 caps for his country and also represented Liverpool, Aston Villa and Coventry before hanging up his boots.

He has, albeit briefly, returned to action with Warley and said of the game at grassroots level retaining the fun factor that he once fully embraced: “Exactly, love of the game. I started a team with my old mates as soon as I retired. So from 37 to 41 we played and everyone started getting injured and things like that.

“But the lads just loved it, getting the boots back on, playing, seeing everyone on a Sunday. Sometimes you'd go to the pub afterwards. It was just a nice way to finish the week. But I loved it. The Warley boys were great.”

Cole has moved into punditry, allowing him to keep a close eye on the likes of Fernandes as he covers domestic, continental and international action. Given his strong professional and emotional ties to West Ham, he will be hoping to see Nuno Espirito Santo’s side steer a course to Premier League safety over their remaining four fixtures in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, Warley FC's transformation is being documented by Specsavers in its ‘Best Worst Team’ YouTube series. Watch Joe Cole in episode 9 and subscribe to the Specsavers’ Best Worst Team YouTube Channel to follow the team's journey.