Man Utd or Spurs? Journalist reveals which club will pay more for £85m star as INEOS triple signing on

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·30 June 2026

Man Utd or Spurs? Journalist reveals which club will pay more for £85m star as INEOS triple signing on

A new report has revealed who will pay more out of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Matheus Fernandes from West Ham.

Having already struck a deal to land Ederson Silva from Atalanta for around £38m, Man Utd have now turned their attention to other midfielders and Fernandes has emerged as one of their leading targets.

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Despite West Ham’s relegation, 21-year-old Fernandes was one of the Premier League’s breakout stars in 2025/26 and has been attracting interest from several clubs.

Man Utd initially appeared to be his most likely destination, but West Ham’s demand of £85m for their prized asset has complicated a deal, while it has also been reported that Tottenham are also making a serious play to secure his services.

Were it a straight shootout between Man Utd and Tottenham for Fernandes, it’s fair to assume that he would choose the Red Devils, and Fabrizio Romano has stated that Michael Carrick’s side are still in the running to sign him.

Romano said on Tuesday: “Man Utd don’t stop contacts for Mateus Fernandes. The battle I have been telling you about Mateus Fernandes between Manchester United and Tottenham is still underway.

“Man Utd and Tottenham are every day in contact with West Ham, and every day in contact with the agent of the player, Jorge Mendes. So, I told you that the player is open to joining both clubs, Tottenham or Man Utd.

“This depends on the clubs, on who can go to West Ham and agree a fee. So, that’s the point – the transfer fee, around £85million plus, and also important to mention payment terms.”

Tottenham to ‘pay more’ than Man Utd for Matheus Fernandes

However, journalist Chris Wheeler has now stated that Tottenham ‘could be prepared to pay more’ than Man Utd to land Fernandes.

Still, our colleagues at TEAMtalk claims Man Utd’s ‘triple signing’ of three midfielders is ‘still on’ even after Manuel Ugarte’s knee injury.

The report explains:

‘United were quick to send their support publicly, but TEAMtalk understands discussions have already taken place behind the scenes over how the injury affects the club’s transfer plans. ‘The answer, according to sources, is very little. United had already mapped out an ambitious overhaul of their midfield this summer and remain fully committed to that strategy despite Ugarte’s absence. TEAMtalk understands the club’s intention has always been to recruit three central midfielders during the current window.’