Man United offered around £85m for Mateus Fernandes but it included several add-ons and a much lower initial fee | OneFootball

Manchester United offered around £85 million for West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes but it included several add-ons and a much lower initial fee, according to The Times.

Man United want the Hammers star but they felt the asking price was too steep and are now looking at alternatives as Michael Carrick wants reinforcements at the Old Trafford club.

Tottenham Hotspur were willing to pay the £85m upfront and are now set to pip the Red Devils to his services.

Man United reportedly offered £70m upfront for Fernandes, with the other £15m in add-ons.

They were given the chance to match Spurs’ bid but were not keen on doing so and have moved on.

The Portuguese 21-year-old was open to joining either club and never had a preference.

However, it is Tottenham who have won the race after agreeing to pay over the odds.

Man United have plenty of options on their radar in the position, and Carrick will hope he can get his hands on the best ones available in the coming weeks.

However, the Red Devils may need to splash the cash to sign top players given the current situation of the transfer market.

Manchester City agreeing a £116m deal for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson has changed the trajectory of the transfer market.

Most clubs are now using the fee to determine the new valuation of their players.

Manuel Ugarte’s injury means Man United need to sign two midfielders alongside Atalanta’s Ederson.

They may need to look for hidden gems across Europe and some of the less popular names currently proving themselves at the World Cup.