Tottenham have blown Manchester United out of the water, agreeing an £85m deal to sign Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes from relegated West Ham — a sum that shatters the club's transfer record. The 21-year-old, who joined West Ham from Southampton for £38m just last summer, is now poised to cross London after Spurs saw off competition from United, who refused to match the guaranteed fee.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side, which narrowly avoided relegation last season, have been handed significant funds and have already added four players this summer: goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on a free from Burnley, defenders Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson on free transfers, and Jan Paul van Hecke for £52m from Brighton. Midfield reinforcements were the priority, but an £80m bid for Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali was rejected because the Italian recently signed an extension after his 10-month betting ban.
“Tottenham agree £85m club-record deal for West Ham's Mateus Fernandes, beating Manchester United to the Portuguese midfielder.”
Fernandes, though, was available — West Ham’s drop to the Championship made a sale inevitable. Despite back-to-back Premier League relegations, the 21-year-old caught the eye with consistent performances, scoring four goals and registering four assists in 38 appearances across all competitions. He also made his Portugal debut in April, though he missed out on the World Cup squad.
Manchester United had made Fernandes a top target as Michael Carrick looks to rebuild his midfield, especially with Casemiro leaving on a free on 1 July. But United felt the £85m valuation was too high, sticking to their policy of only buying at the right price. They have already agreed a £35m deal with Atalanta for Brazil midfielder Ederson, though his arrival is delayed by World Cup duty. United’s squad remains largely unchanged, with the plan to sell Manuel Ugarte shelved after a serious injury.
For West Ham, the £85m sale — a record for a Championship club — eases some financial concerns after they lost £104.2m last year. Daniel Kretinsky, set to become the largest shareholder, is expected to inject fresh capital, but the club still faces the likely departure of winger Crysencio Summerville, a target for United and Chelsea, while Jarrod Bowen is monitored by several Premier League sides.
Fernandes is due for a medical before signing, and Tottenham are not done — De Zerbi also hopes to sign Tonali, despite the earlier rejection. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the market, Everton are close to a deal for Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney for at least £16m, with the 24-year-old keen to work with David Moyes after Boro’s play-off final defeat.