Tottenham Hotspur have pulled off a major transfer coup by beating Manchester United to the signing of Mateus Fernandes. The West Ham midfielder was linked with a string of clubs after the Hammers were relegated from the Premier League, including Real Madrid. However, the transfer race came down to a tussle between Spurs and the Red Devils, which the north London club has won.
Record-breaking bid secures Fernandes
The Athletic report that Tottenham made the highest offer for the 21-year-old, which is reportedly £85m guaranteed. Fernandes has agreed to make the move to Spurs and Manchester United have not been willing to match their offer. The fee represents a record signing for Tottenham, breaking the £65m they spent on Dominic Solanke in 2024.
West Ham profit from relegation sale
It is also a very profitable bit of business for West Ham, having signed the midfielder for around £38m less than 12 months ago. The Hammers' relegation from the Premier League triggered a fire sale, with Fernandes being the highest-profile departure.
Spurs revamp under De Zerbi
Spurs are conducting a huge revamp of their squad under Roberto De Zerbi and Fernandes will already be the fourth signing of the summer. Andy Robertson, Marco Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke have already been snapped up and the Portuguese midfielder adds to their collection of new signings. Liverpool icon Robertson and Senesi arrive on free transfers, while Van Hecke has cost Spurs £52m from Brighton.
More to follow…
