Photo Credit: Getty Images
Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement with West Ham United to sign Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes in a deal worth a guaranteed £85 million, beating competition from several top clubs for one of the Premier League's most sought after young talents.
Spurs moved quickly to secure the 21 year old after seeing their pursuit of Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali come to a halt. Newcastle rejected Tottenham's £80 million offer, prompting the north London club to shift its attention to Fernandes.
Manchester United were also interested in the midfielder but ultimately withdrew from negotiations after deciding the asking price exceeded their valuation. The club remained committed to its transfer strategy of only pursuing deals it believes represent good value.
Fernandes attracted widespread interest this summer despite suffering consecutive Premier League relegations with West Ham. Paris Saint Germain also monitored the Portuguese international, but Tottenham acted decisively to complete the transfer.
The move continues an active transfer window for Spurs, who have already strengthened several areas of their squad. Last week, the club agreed to sign experienced goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on a free transfer following the expiration of his Burnley contract on July 1.
Tottenham also added defenders Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson on free transfers from Bournemouth and Liverpool respectively. Dutch centre back Jan Paul van Hecke also joined from Brighton in a £52 million move as the club focused on reinforcing its defensive options before turning attention to midfield.
Tonali had been Tottenham's preferred target, but Newcastle's determination to retain the Italy international made a transfer increasingly difficult. The midfielder recently signed a contract extension after returning from his 10 month suspension for breaching the Football Association's betting regulations.
Fernandes, meanwhile, remained open to several possible destinations, with his agent Jorge Mendes holding discussions with both Tottenham and Manchester United throughout the process.
At Old Trafford, strengthening central midfield remains a priority. The club has already agreed a £35 million deal to sign Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Atalanta, although his arrival has been delayed after receiving a late call up to Brazil's World Cup squad.
Manchester United are expected to begin pre season training on July 9 with few changes to last season's squad. Plans to sell Manuel Ugarte have been put on hold following his serious injury while representing Uruguay at the World Cup, while reports linking Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee with exits have been dismissed by sources close to the club.
