Tottenham confident of winning £80m Mateus Fernandes race as Man Utd may back out

Tottenham have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Fernandes this summer, looking to capitalise on West Ham suffering relegation from the Premier League. According to a report by The Times, Tottenham hope to beat Manchester United in the transfer battle, with club chiefs confident that their rivals will walk away if the asking price climbs too high.

West Ham are demanding a fee in the region of £80 million for Fernandes, who joined them from Southampton last August for €44 million. While Manchester United have long identified the 21-year-old as a primary midfield target, they are determined to avoid a bidding war, identical to their stance regarding Nottingham Forest player Elliot Anderson.

Tottenham are heavily attacking the transfer market to back manager Roberto De Zerbi ahead of the upcoming campaign. The London outfit have already secured defensive trio Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke, alongside Wednesday's arrival of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. Securing Fernandes would add significant technical quality and energy to De Zerbi's midfield engine room.

Despite his team struggling, Fernandes impressed during his debut season in London, making 38 appearances across all competitions and scoring four goals for West Ham. Transfer expert Matteo Moretto claims that Tottenham are now very close to agreeing personal terms with the player, as he is open to a move to remain in the top flight.

While Tottenham push forward, United face a major dilemma. When Casemiro departs upon the expiry of his contract next week, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte will be the only recognised senior central midfielders available. The club want at least two new additions, and Fernandes fits the profile perfectly after rapid development since leaving Sporting for €15m in 2024.

He played 46 matches and scored four goals for Southampton before earning his big move to West Ham. However, United's reluctance to spend heavily risks leaving Michael Carrick with a threadbare squad. Speaking after the end of the season, Carrick said: "There's obviously work to do. I know it's quite obvious, there's certain players leaving, that there's a bit of work to do. It's not any more important, this one, than the last one, or it's what's ahead of us as a football club to try and make the most of."

Tottenham will now focus on initiating formal club-to-club negotiations with West Ham to strike an agreement over the transfer fee. With personal terms reportedly nearing completion, Spurs must act swiftly to prevent any late hijack attempts. United must quickly decide whether to match their rival's financial commitment or abandon their pursuit for cheaper alternatives before pre-season begins.