Manchester United’s reported interest in Mateus Fernandes has prompted fresh discussion in Portugal about just how far the West Ham midfielder can go in the game.
The 21-year-old has been linked with Old Trafford in recent days, with Portuguese reports claiming he is on Manchester United’s shortlist as the club prepare for major midfield changes this summer.
Those links have arrived after another season of rapid progress for Fernandes. Despite West Ham’s relegation to the Championship, the Portuguese international enhanced his reputation in the Premier League and attracted attention from some of England’s biggest clubs.
Now, a coach who played an important role in his development has delivered perhaps the strongest endorsement yet.
“I don’t know where his limit is”
Vasco Seabra worked with Fernandes during his loan spell at Estoril in the 2023/24 season, a period that helped establish the midfielder in top-flight football.
Speaking to Rádio Renascença, the Arouca manager admitted even he is struggling to identify where Fernandes’ ceiling might be.
“Mateus has shown season after season that the higher the level he competes at, the better the response he gives,” Seabra said.
“I still don’t really know what level he will eventually stop at or stabilise at.”
“He seems to be one of those players who, the higher the level, the more value and quality he can add to a team.”
While Seabra admits that possibility would have sounded ambitious two years ago, he insists the player’s rise makes complete sense to anyone who knows him well.
“He has a huge range of abilities”
The Portuguese coach then moved into a detailed assessment of Fernandes’ qualities.
“He has a huge range of abilities. I mean, he has technical quality and he’s a kid with a fantastic heart and mentality.”
During his spell at Estoril, Fernandes became a regular at a level he had not yet fully reached at Sporting. Seabra believes that experience accelerated his development and helped prepare him for England.
“We expected, and I particularly expected, that he could reach top teams very quickly.”
However, even he was surprised by how quickly the player has entered conversations involving some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
“It would be false of me to say I expected that, two years later, he could be in Real Madrid’s plans. He was really very young when he came through us.”
That said, Seabra had little doubt about Fernandes’ ability to establish himself in the Premier League.
“I expected he could reach Premier League level in a very short time.”
“He really had a mentality and a daily commitment, both in training and matches, that made me believe he could reach a very high level.”
Why Manchester United may like what they hear
Many of Seabra’s observations will likely appeal to Manchester United if their interest develops into something more concrete. The coach painted a picture of a player who responds positively to pressure rather than shrinking from it.
According to him, Fernandes is not the type who constantly needs reassurance.
“Mateus isn’t someone who needs emotional comfort all the time”, he said.
“Essentially, Mateus needs people to trust him and demand things from him.”
That mentality has already been visible during his time in England. Even during difficult seasons with Southampton and West Ham, he remained a standout performers.
Mourinho comments offer insight
Seabra was also asked about the prospect of Fernandes working under José Mourinho amid the Real Madrid rumours.
“I believe a profile like José Mourinho’s – an expert in communication, leadership and in the way he manages players’ expectations and frustrations – would be beneficial.”
“He pushes players upwards and challenges them to become better”, he said. “It would be a relationship that could be very beneficial for both.”
Whether Fernandes ends up at Manchester United, remains at West Ham or follows another path entirely, Seabra’s message was blunt.
The coach who helped launch his career believes the midfielder’s development is still accelerating. More importantly, he admits he has yet to discover where the player’s true limits actually are.
