West Ham have completed the signing of Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes from Southampton in a move worth more than £40m.

The 21-year-old has signed a five-year contract and becomes the Hammers’ third most expensive signing of all time, behind Lucas Paquetá (£51m) and Sébastien Haller (£45m).

Fernandes joined Southampton from Sporting CP for £15m in 2024 and impressed in his debut Premier League campaign, making 46 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing seven assists.

“I’m very excited to play for West Ham,” Fernandes said.
“It’s a big step for me. It’s a massive club, the project, the stadium, the city — everything.”

The deal represents a significant profit for Southampton, who sold the midfielder just a year after his arrival.

For West Ham, the signing is expected to provide a timely lift for manager Graham Potter, who is already under pressure after three consecutive defeats to start the season. The Hammers lost 3-0 to newly-promoted Sunderland, were thrashed 5-1 by Chelsea, and exited the Carabao Cup with defeat to Wolves.

West Ham are also closing in on another midfield addition, with a £17.3m move for Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa, 21, nearing completion.