- Mateus Fernandes has been nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season award
- Fernandes headlines an eight-man shortlist
- The West Ham United midfielder could become the first Hammer to win the award
West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes has been nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season award following an amazing breakout season in East London.
The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal season for the Hammers, with his metronome performances receiving considerable plaudits from fans, commentators, and experts. Fernandes is one of eight contenders selected for the prize, along with some of the division’s top rookie talent.
The Premier League announced the shortlist on Wednesday lunchtime, with Manchester City pair Rayan Cherki and Nico O’Reilly, Brentford’s Michael Kayode, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, Newcastle’s Lewis Hall and Bournemouth duo Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott also included.
Mateus Fernandes’ Young Player of the Season case
Having come with high hopes, the Portuguese midfielder has swiftly excelled in the intensity of Premier League play after arriving from Southampton last summer. Fernandes has appeared in 34 league games this season, starting 33 and totalling more than 2,800 minutes for the Irons.
Despite the Irons’ problems near the bottom of the league, Fernandes has constantly demonstrated composure in possession, tenacity off the ball, and the ability to surge forward from midfield. His three goals and three assists tell only part of the story, as his impact on games often goes far beyond mere stats.
Data from Opta recently highlighted Fernandes’ value to the Irons, with the midfielder ranking among the best Premier League midfielders this season for ball recoveries. It is the former Sporting graduate’s proficient profile that has drawn significant transfer interest from Europe’s premier clubs.
Since the award’s inception in the 2019-20 season, Fernandes could be the first Hammers player to win the award. Tony Cottee was the last player from the club to scoop one of the league’s young individual awards, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year in the 1985-86 season.
