He may only be 21, but a €5.9m transfer to Manchester City FC last summer made him the second most expensive Swiss player behind Patrick Müller – Gelson Fernandes is an extraordinary footballer.
New surroundings
Having arrived from Cape Verde at the age of five he quickly adapted to Swiss life and, by 16, was turning out for FC Sion. Four years later, at the start of the 2006/07 season, Fernandes made his first of 34 appearances in the Swiss Super League and instantly became a regular as Sion ended the campaign in third place. Possessing all the attributes needed for the modern day holding midfielder, Fernandes can pass, tackle and is not afraid to put his body on the line for club or country. "That's a healthy toughness," he said. "He who does not work has already lost."
English move
His performances for Sion soon prompted the interest of foreign clubs and, after just one campaign in the Swiss élite, Fernandes moved to England where, after a spending the first two months among the substitutes, he quickly established himself as a regular in midfield and made 26 appearances. "My record has been more than positive," he declared. "I played many matches and the club and coach have shown themselves to be pleased with my performances."
'Enormous advances'
Moving overseas despite just one top-flight campaign, Fernandes feels he has certainly developed his game. "I have improved in every area," he added. "Physically, technically and tactically I have made enormous advances. You can hardly compare the Premier League to the Swiss League when it comes to rhythm, pace and individual class. This is my kind of football here, lots of challenges and a constantly high pace. Technically, I am still not strong enough for Italy or Spain – my place is here."
'Expectation'
His rise with the Swiss national team has been similar to that at club level. Winning his first cap in August 2007 in a 2-1 win against the Netherlands, he has been a regular for coach Jakob Kuhn ever since and seems a certain starter at UEFA EURO 2008™. "I am looking forward a lot to the tournament, the expectation is rising everyday," he continued. "We are young, but we might be fresher because of that. Most of us play in big European leagues, so this should not be a problem."
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