West Ham United

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

When West Ham made Mateus Fernandes their third-biggest signing ever in a deal worth more than £30m in August, there would have almost certainly been a feeling that his creativity could help mitigate Lucas Paqueta's impending exit.

Paqueta had two years remaining on his contract at London Stadium, had just been cleared of allegedly getting booked deliberately by an independent regulatory commission, and never looked likely to extend after a turbulent past few years both on and off the pitch.

Fernandes was known for his attacking output, technical quality and role in build-up as well as his high work-rate and pressing while at Southampton, but he has been used in a more defensive role so far in east London.

However, the need for Fernandes to deliver creatively looks to have come earlier than West Ham expected, with Flamengo closing in on a deal to re-sign Paqueta despite the Hammers indicating a reluctance to sell earlier in January.

The Brazil international had started 18 of the club's first 21 Premier League matches, but he has been absent for their latest two - impressive victories over Tottenham and Sunderland.

In his absence, Fernandes - who has made 20 starts and one substitute appearance this season - assisted Crysensio Summerville's opener at Spurs and followed it up with a long-range thunderbolt against the Black Cats.

In both of these games the 21-year-old started in a central midfield position alongside Tomas Soucek, giving him more protection to break forward and join new attacking signings Pablo and Taty Castellanos.

Interestingly, Fernandes and Paqueta compare similarly when analysing their creativity.

In the Premier League, both Paqueta and Fernandes have created 23 chances this season, both have 16 dribbles completed, 16 successful take-ons, both have crossed the ball 35 times, and both have registered five goal involvements.

Paqueta has made 387 successful passes in the opposition half to Fernandes' 383, and leads the way for passes into the final third and through balls, but the Portugal international has completed more successful long passes and completed more progressive carries.

While West Ham will surely look to reinvest in the market should Paqueta's departure be completed, with Pablo and Castellanos already through the door, more onus will be placed on Fernandes to add guile and imagination and provide invention in the final third.

He looks ready to do just that.

With the news that Paqueta looks set for a £35m move to Flamengo, how do you feel about his impending exit? Do West Ham need to go into the market to replace him? Or should they invest it elsewhere?

Get in touch with your views here

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between West Ham and Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Joe: After seeing that performance, I think we have a great chance at another great escape. Solid and positive performance makes me think we can have a good end to this terrible season. Crysencio Summerville is a menace and our defence is acting right. Hope is back in East London.

Colin: This was the first day West Ham played like West Ham. Quick on the break and slick in passing. Is it a new dawn, or false hope? Fingers crossed it's the former.

Ian: This performance and result has been building for a few weeks. Barring some bad, and some dubious calls, we would have won away at Brighton and at home to Nottingham Forest. The work rate, movement and directness has all improved. A long way to go but some small shoots of hope now!

Peter: This is what we have been waiting for. The team took just a few minutes to settle, then gave the Irons fans 40 minutes to savour. The second half began worryingly with a return to dithering and more negative play. Sunderland had 15 minutes on top, but it never felt like they would score again until injury time when both teams hit the woodwork. It was was great to see a match where football was the winner.

Sue: What an improvement. The players seemed to know where each other were and attacked more. If they keep playing like that they will get out of trouble.

Sunderland fans

Adam: Very poor. We clearly lacked Granit Xhaka's leadership. Poor line-up and need improvements. Still an excellent season, but hopefully just a minor bump in the road.

David: The wrong selection and wrong formation. We'd almost lost the match before kick off with that combination of players starting. West Ham probably couldn't believe their luck at how disjointed and lacking in cohesion Sunderland were. An avoidable bad performance which makes it very frustrating as points were dropped unnecessarily.

Kev: Bad day at the office. But having said that, Romaine Mundle and Eliezer Mayenda offer nothing to the team. I feel sorry for Wilson Isidor as he should play with Brian Brobbey. He can drop deep, use his pace and leave Brobbey up on his own while supporting. Trai Hume had a mare. Onwards and upwards. One poor performance is nothing to worry about.

Colin: Got exactly what we deserved. Even though our best player wasn't playing this is no excuse as we can not rely on one player all the time. We take it on the chin and move on.

George: All too often Hume is a liability. Poor passing coupled with too much shirt pulling. Petulance and arguing with officials is too common among others.

Pundits Alan Shearer and Ashley Williams join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Manchester City 2-0 Wolves

• Burnley 2-2 Tottenham

• Bournemouth 3-2 Liverpool

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

On 6 January, West Ham lost 2-1 at home to Nottingham Forest and found themselves seven points off safety and on a 10-match winless run.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side have since won both their Premier League games to reignite their survival hopes.

The home side hardly put a foot wrong in the first half, contributing to an electric atmosphere inside London Stadium.

Once again the Hammers were inspired by captain Bowen who contributed a goal and an assist in 14 first-half minutes.

In doing so the 29-year-old Englishman became the outright Premier League goal involvements leader for West Ham (102 - 62 goals and 40 assists), overtaking Michail Antonio (101).

Striker Callum Wilson, who has been linked with a January move, was given a warm reception by the home fans when he came on in the second half.

Lucas Paqueta, who is also rumoured to be on the move, was not in the Hammers' squad. James Ward-Prowse was an unused substitute as he was part of Nuno's squad for the first time.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, spoke to BBC Match of the Day after his side's victory over Sunderland: "We played good, I'm always positive that things can improve, but clearly the connections, combinations, knowledge of each other as players are starting to happen.

"Things we are doing on the training ground are starting to be reflected on the pitch, and for me that is a joy.

"The mental side [is important]. We have to keep the momentum, we came from a good win. It was important to start the game this way with the same energy. The boys did it, we had a very good first half. We improved a lot in terms of managing the game, the tempo in the second half, knowing that Sunderland would react.

"We defended well, managed the time well, the possession, try to keep some threat in our attack. Overall, it was a good performance.

"The fans are giving back what we are asking, they support, sing, and today I think they are happy."

On the absence of Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka: "Xhaka is an important player for Sunderland, his absence favoured us. But that doesn't take away from the quality of their squad, that's why they are where they are and they play good football.

"We controlled well, Tomas [Soucek] and Mateus [Fernandes] did very hard work."

On Fernandes' goal: "Happy for him, happy for Crysencio [Summerville] two goals in two rounds, and Jarrod [Bowen] back on the scoring sheet. We need all our attacking players to score to give confidence because they are talented.

On the incident between Xhaka and fans behind the dugouts: "The referee came to me and said some incident happened, I hope it is solved. I don't know."

Did you know?

• Jarrod Bowen became the West Ham player with the outright most goal involvements in Premier League history (103 - 63 goals, 40 assists), moving clear of Michail Antonio (101 – 68 goals, 33 assists).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on West Ham's performance

What did you make of Sunderland's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Lucas Paqueta is not in the West Ham squad.

BBC Sport reported this month that the attacker was the subject of interest from at least two clubs in Brazil.

One of those clubs is Flamengo, who are prepared to pay about £35m for the attacker. West Ham are unchanged from their last fixture.

West Ham XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Scarles; Soucek, Fernandes, Bowen, Summerville, Pablo, Castellanos.

Subs: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Ward-Prowse, Wilson, Diouf, Magassa, Pottts, Kante.

Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka has been ruled out of his side's trip to West Ham. The ex-Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen star injured his ankle in Sunderland's last match against Crystal Palace say the club and will now undergo "a period of rehabilitation".

Eliezer Mayenda replaces him in the Sunderland starting XI.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reineildo, Hume, Sadiki, Le Fee, Mundle, Mayenda, Brobbey.

Subs: Patterson, Onein, Geertruida, Cirkin, Rigg, Diarra, Adingra, Isidor, Talbi.

There are five games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• West Ham v Sunderland (12:30)

• Burnley v Tottenham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Fulham v Brighton

• Man City v Wolves - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Bournemouth v Liverpool (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Manchester City v Wolves" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Bournemouth v Liverpool", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Chris Adams
BBC Sport journalist

A stoppage-time victory at Spurs last week ended West Ham United's 10-game winless run and means the Hammers will have their tails up for the visit of the Sunderland on Saturday – but they still lay claim to an unwanted defensive record.

Unsound defence

West Ham's current run of 19 games without a clean sheet is the joint worst of any club in Europe's top five leagues. Seventeen of those have come since Nuno Espirito Santo took over in September and the Portuguese head coach will know his side, stuck in 18th, must shed that defensive frailty if they are to lift themselves out of the relegation zone.

The Irons have the leakiest defence in the English top flight this season, while a league-high 12 of their 44 goals conceded have been headers – despite boasting regular centre-back options of Max Kilman (6ft 4in), Jean-Clair Todibo (6ft 3in) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (6ft 4in).

Wantaway striker Callum Wilson was the hero last Saturday, prompting the powers that be at London Stadium to change tack over his future. The Englishman now looks set to stay until the end of the season, despite the recent arrival of fellow forwards Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos.

West Ham's home record against promoted side is encouraging – they've lost just one of their last 21 – but they'll be wary of a Sunderland outfit who blew them away in the second half of a 3-0 walloping at the Stadium of Light on the opening day.

Dogged Black Cats continue to impress

If Sunderland can follow up that August win with another in east London, it will mark just their second Premier League double over West Ham, having previously achieved it in 2010-11 – ominously, the last time the Hammers were relegated.

The Black Cats, who sit ninth, are unbeaten at home – only league leaders Arsenal can say the same – and have lost just one of their past eight games in all competitions.

Regis le Bris' side are becoming increasingly notable for their resilience after going behind, a quality they showed again during last week's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. They have won 16 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, second only to Aston Villa's tally of 18.

With 33 points from 22 games, Sunderland are the best-performing promoted side in 16 years. Alex McLeish's Birmingham City in 2009-10 were the last newcomers to have as many points at this stage of the season.

Durable Granit's work is top

Some shrewd summer signings have played their part in that success, and none more so than Granit Xhaka. The Switzerland captain, 33, has played the most minutes of any outfield player in the Sunderland squad.

And despite his reputation as a midfield schemer, the former Arsenal player has offered his new employer a perhaps surprising weapon in attack. Xhaka's role in Enzo le Fee's equaliser against Crystal Palace last weekend means he has made eight line-breaking passes that have led to a goal, more than any other player in the division this season.

Sunderland's 3-0 win over West Ham on the opening weekend really set the tone for both teams' seasons, but it doesn't really help me much here.

The Hammers' win at Tottenham last week was extraordinary given their form going into that game, but their home record is still extremely poor.

Sunderland, meanwhile, are not the same force on the road as they are at the Stadium of Light, and they have not won away since the end of October.

Still, it has been such a strange season, with everyone beating everyone, that form, history, tables and stats are not really much help with these predictions anyway.

In the past few weeks, I have thought too much about AI and gone down the stat route to try to beat it at its own game, but that's not how I won the predictions title in previous seasons.

I need to go with my gut instinct more, and that's what I'm doing here.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves have rejected a bid from Leeds United for striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.

The offer fell well below Wolves' £40m asking price and came a number of days ago.

Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Crystal Palace have shown an interest in the player this month.

Wolves are also willing to let defender Emmanuel Agbadou leave Molineux and are in talks with Besiktas.

The Turkish side's latest offer is £13m, with Wolves looking for £17m for the Ivory Coast international who joined from Reims for £16.6m last January.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Sunderland at London Stadium (kick-off 12:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Nuno said they will "assess" new signing Keiber Lamadrid but feels he is "not really ready" to come into the squad with his last competitive fixture in December.

• The West Ham boss also confirmed that Lucas Paqueta's situation is "the same as last week" and he will not be included for this match, however, he hopes the club and player can "find a solution".

• On Callum Wilson's future, after the striker scored the winner against Tottenham last weekend: "Callum give us the winning goal in a match we consider so important and special for fans. It was beautiful to see, and happy to take those three points. Callum is an option, we know what he can give us, he is working and available so is an important player."

• However, he added: "You never know what can happen. Meanwhile, the window is open, so many surprises can happen. Players that are here in the building, we are counting on them."

• Nuno would not be drawn into questions about whether the club are in discussions with fellow relegation battlers Burnley over a possible transfer for James Ward-Prowse, stating "rumours are noise, rumours are things not for us to address" and added: "Me and James have had conversations and it has been clear. He is here today, working, and tomorrow will be the same. I don't waste time on rumours and speculation."

• While West Ham's hierarchy also look for players for the long-term, Nuno said his "focus is now" and the club "know the profiles we need - we need to rebalance the squad".

• On comments around wanting even more from players like Crysencio Summerville: "More consistency. More. Instead of one or two goals - more. Instead of one or two assists - more. We want that because the talent is there. We try to give to our players that they can do more. We are pushing them because we need more, and more and more."

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham United have completed the loan signing of Venezuela winger Keiber Lamadrid for the remainder of the season.

The 22-year-old joins from Deportivo La Guaira in his homeland, and the Hammers have the option to make the move permanent in the summer.

Keiber has made 103 appearances for the Venezuelan Super Cup holders - whose season ended in early December.

He will work on physical conditioning with West Ham's medical team to get up to match fitness.

"It's an incredible opportunity to be here at this beautiful Club," Keiber told club media.

"I thank God first of all, and all the people who helped me get here. I also thank my family, who always supported me. For me, it's a dream to be here.

"I'm excited to grow as a person, as a player, and I want to do well at this club. I want to adapt as quickly as possible, to continue growing as a player and open doors again for Venezuelan football. Nothing is impossible."

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

From the Premier League's elite to the soggy pitches of Sunday league, injuries are part and parcel of football - but which top-flight teams have been worst affected so far this season?

With help from injury expert Ben Dinnery, of premierinjuries.com,, external BBC Sport has examined which sides have been hit the hardest, the impact injuries can have on under-fire managers - and whether things are always as bad as they seem.

• Read more detail on how clubs have been affected by injuries here

Liverpool generated more revenue than any other English club during the 2024-25 season, according to the annual Deloitte Money League survey.

In the survey's 29th season, the Reds brought in more than 836m euros (£729.5m). The figure moved the Reds from eighth in 2023-24 to fifth overall, while Manchester City dropped from second to sixth.

Manchester United dropped from fourth to eighth with the club's broadcast revenue falling from €258m (£225m) to €206m (£180m) largely due to a lack of Champions League football.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea each occupy the exact same positions in the Money League as last season, while Aston Villa moved up four spots. Newcastle and West Ham remain in the top 20, despite both dropping in position.

• Read more on the study

Across the study, clubs cumulatively reported record revenues of €12.4bn, an increase of 11% on 2023-24.

A major feature of the study points to clubs generating most of their revenue commercially, with about 43% of income coming from this source. Broadcast revenue and matchday income continue to take up smaller pieces of the revenue pie.

Tim Bridge, lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group, said: "This year's Money League showcases the evolving commercial landscape of elite football, with clubs continuing to take greater ownership of their revenue-generating capabilities. It is no coincidence that the clubs in the top half of the ranking are those with the ability to focus on commercial revenue development, particularly as domestic broadcast rights plateau.

"There is a pivotal shift in some club business models with an increased focus on maximising the impact of their brand and their stadium assets. The presence of on-site breweries, hotels and restaurants is now commonplace and illustrates a strategic move to diversify income and create year-round entertainment destinations. This innovative approach is broadening revenue streams significantly, allowing clubs to unlock opportunities far beyond the traditional matchday experience in a drive to secure more sustainable financial futures."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on West Ham's U-turn on the departure of Callum Wilson, with the striker now set to stay.

Here are some of your comments:

Adrian: Wise decision. We have two new strikers without Premier League experience - both showing early promise but having an experienced pro like Callum Wilson around can only help their transition. Plus, as he showed, he can a devastating impact sub. Little downside on financial regs either. No brainer for me.

John: He is a goalscorer, and we need goals - why has he not played more ???

David: Like it or not, Callum Wilson's goalscoring stats are the best at the club this season. He's more dangerous than anyone else in the current West Ham team. Check his figures against Bowen, or anyone else. We need goals and he is our best option. We are not going to attract anyone else to this dog fight. He needs to either play or be an option off the bench. He's got Premier League experience and I would favour that over anything else right now. We are in a mess and need to get points. We need goals. It's what he does!

Ray: Wilson has the right attitude to help us survive this season and will give his all until the end. Better the player you know!

Chris: Common sense has prevailed. You can't buy that experience.

Steve: It would be utter lunacy to let Wilson go! But then again, this is West Ham we are talking about! Give him a new 'improved' contract!

Rob: I was sceptical about Wilson's signing in the first instance, given his age, but he has rewarded our club with some dynamic football when he has been playing, so I'm glad he's been asked to stay until the end of the season.

West Ham fan Holly Turbutt believes the Hammers should not be looking to offload any players until the end of the season.

Lucas Paqueta and Callum Wilson have been linked with moves away this month but Turbutt says she hopes the club's hierarchy will be concentrating on incoming signings.

Find more from Holly Turbutt at West Ham Network, external

Flamengo remain interested in signing midfielder Lucas Paqueta from West Ham United, although it is understood there has been no contact between the clubs since last week about a deal for the 28-year-old Brazil international. (Sky Sports), external

West Ham and Aston Villa midfield target Quinten Timber was left out of the starting line-up for Feyenoord on Sunday. Marseille have already made an offer for the 24-year-old Dutchman's services. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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