Tottenham have turned their attention to West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes after seeing an £80m bid for Sandro Tonali rejected by Newcastle United. The 21-year-old Portugal international is now viewed as a primary target, with talks ongoing and, according to sources, progressing positively. Spurs are optimistic an agreement can be reached.
West Ham value Fernandes at around £80m, a fee that has also attracted interest from Manchester United, Paris St-Germain, Liverpool and Real Madrid. But United are unwilling to meet that valuation, and Spurs head coach Roberto de Zerbi is pushing to bring in the gifted midfielder, according to The Athletic.
“Tottenham accelerate bid for West Ham's £80m-rated Mateus Fernandes after Newcastle reject Tonali offer.”
Fernandes’ admiration for his compatriot Bruno Fernandes could prove pivotal in any move to Old Trafford. The West Ham midfielder recalled a moment from his academy days at Sporting CP when he spotted the Manchester United captain watching one of his matches. “I remember one time when we were playing against Benfica, Under-16s,” he told CNN Portugal in 2024. “He was off the field. I remember seeing him and, suddenly, starting to assert myself on the field, yelling at everyone, just so he would notice.”
The prospect of lining up alongside Bruno might make United more appealing, provided they can reach an agreement with West Ham. However, Jose Mourinho has urged Real Madrid to pursue Fernandes, who joined West Ham last summer for an initial £38m from Southampton.
West Ham are likely to offload Fernandes following their relegation to the Championship, though it remains unclear whether the club are under financial pressure to complete a sale. Tottenham, meanwhile, have made a fast start in the transfer market, already signing four players: goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on a free transfer from Burnley, defenders Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson on free transfers, and Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke for £52m from Brighton.
Last week, Spurs had an £80m bid rejected by Newcastle for Italy international Tonali, a long-time admirer of De Zerbi. Tonali has four years left on his contract after signing a new deal following his 10-month ban for breaching betting rules. With De Zerbi now targeting Fernandes, the London club’s midfield rebuild is gathering pace.