Tottenham beat Man Utd to £85m signing of West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur have won the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes for £85 million, according to The Athletic.

Manchester United were keen on signing the 21-year-old, but were not prepared to meet either West Ham’s valuation or the player’s wage demands. They are now expected to shift focus to other targets.

Manchester City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Liverpool have also been linked with the West Ham star, but have not made a concrete move.

The signing of the Sporting CP academy graduate represents a huge statement for Spurs, despite the lack of Champions League football and their recent struggles in the Premier League.

They have been in the relegation tussle for the past two seasons and are ready to back manager Roberto de Zerbi to ensure they avoid a repeat next term.

The Portuguese midfielder was one of the standout players for West Ham last season. He bagged three goals and four assists in 36 league games.

Spurs are still expected to continue their pursuit of Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. They have already had a £75m bid for the Italian rejected.