klasemen-tim-nasional-sepak-bola-swiss.comda poker： Despite a poor season for West Ham United so far, it has been a brilliant individual campaign for midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
da dobrowin： The 21-year-old has been a shining light in the middle of the park for the Hammers this term, and scored in their most recent win against Sunderland, to help them to consecutive victories.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Portuguese midfielder has been the subject of transfer interest, with clubs as high-profile as Real Madrid showing an interest.
However, it remains to be seen if he departs the club, and West Ham may yet hold onto one of their most prized assets.
The Hammers might well dip into the transfer market to add to their midfield to provide more support for Fernandes.
West Ham’s transfer latest
There could well be a flurry of late transfer activity at the London Stadium, as West Ham scramble to survive in the Premier League. They are closing in on a deal to sign Fulham winger Adama Traore.
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Once that is done, their attention might turn to midfield. Football Insider report that the Hammers ‘made a move to sign’ Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil before the two sides met in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.
Perhaps rather positively, the Hammers’ target was not involved in the clash at the London Stadium.
This is because the Black Cats have ‘decided to cash in’ on Neil rather than let his contract expire in the summer. At this stage, a price is not clear, but it is unlikely to break the bank.
Why Neil would be a perfect partner for Fernandes
It is true that 24-year-old Neil has struggled to cement a place in the Sunderland side this season. Regis Le Bris has certainly not favoured him much, with the quality in midfield for the Black Cats extremely high.
This season, the midfielder, who was born in South Shields, has played a mere three games and just 13 minutes of top-flight football.
His only 90 minutes in the first team this season came in the Carabao Cup earlier in the season against Huddersfield Town, a game in which he captained.
Yet, we must not forget the contributions Neil made in their Championship campaign last term, which saw them win the playoffs and reach the Premier League. He was influential in midfield, playing 44 second-tier games, chipping in with two goals and three assists.
Looking at some of the underlying numbers from the Championship campaign, you can see that the midfielder was one of the best combative midfielders in the league.
He won 208 duels and made 46 interceptions, which ranked him in the top 9% and 7%, respectively. There is a reason teammate Romaine Mundle described him as a “quality” player.
Neil – 24/25 Championship stats
Stat
Season total
Rank
Dribbles completed
40
Top 2%
Tackles
81
Top 13%
Duels won
208
Top 9%
Interceptions
46
Top 7%
Ball recoveries
252
Top 2%
Stats from Fotmob
Pairing Neil, a brilliant ball-winner, in midfield with Fernandes could be a dream decision for the Hammers.
The Portuguese star has been a key man in the middle of the park, playing 21 times and chipping in with five goals and assists, including his stunning strike against Sunderland.
Effective off the ball himself, the 21-year-old is winning an average of 6.05 duels per 90 minutes in the top flight this season.
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That in itself would make them a formidable midfield pair, but the addition of Neil could also allow Fernandes more of a licence to get forward.
He also creates 1.23 chances each game this term. Thus, having a elite ball-winner like the Sunderland midfielder playing alongside him might release defensive shackles and allow him to get further forward.
This signing could make Fernandes even better in the midfield for West Ham. Neil may have struggled for minutes this term, but he has clear quality and could really help unlock the Portugal under-21 international.
Whatever the cut-price fee ends up being, perhaps this is a deal the Hammers should consider doing before the transfer window slams shut.
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