Mateus Fernandes headed to Tottenham Hotspur in €98.5m deal | OneFootball

Spurs have won the race for Fernandes [Getty Images]

Tottenham Hotspur have won the race for Portugal international Mateus Fernandes, after agreeing a deal worth a reported €98.5m with West Ham United for the midfielder.

Fernandes has been linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Arsenal. Indeed, United appeared to be leading the chase for the former Sporting man’s signature after identifying him as a priority target in their summer rebuild.

However, according to The Athletic, Spurs made the highest offer to the Hammers and Fernandes, 21, has decided to stay in the capital with a switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Fernandes will sign a five-year contract with the club, changing teams for the second straight summer in England. Both the transfer fee and Fernandes’ salary were deemed by United to be excessive, reports The Athletic, meaning the Red Devils will look elsewhere.

For Spurs, the coup comes during a summer in which they have already paid €60m for defender Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Holve Albion, as well as sealing free transfers for Andy Robertson from Liverpool and Argentina defender Marco Senesi from Bournemouth. The summer looks set to be an ambitious one, with Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali also a target independent of the Fernandes deal.

Fernandes emerged as a player of interest for Europe’s elite after proving a bright spark in West Ham’s relegation, during which he contributed seven goal involvements (three goals, four assists) from his 36 Premier League appearances. The Hammers paid more than €46m last summer to prize the Olhão native from Southampton, who had also been relegated during Fernandes’ debut campaign in England after leaving Sporting.

Despite his progress and making his senior international debut against the United States in April, Fernandes was overlooked by Roberto Martínez for Portugal’s 2026 World Cup squad.