Manchester United’s refusal to spend £80m on Mateus Fernandes has been explained and could ultimately see them miss out on his signing, after David Ornstein confirmed that Tottenham Hotspur have now joined the chase and are looking to sign the West Ham star alongside Sandro Tonali.
Fernandes is in high demand this summer after a standout season in the Hammers midfield, although his efforts were not enough to keep his side afloat in the Premier League.
Now back in the second tier for the first time in 14 years, TEAMtalk has confirmed that the player has been given the green light to leave the London Stadium this summer – though West Ham are making it clear that it won’t be on the cheap.
Having set out their stall to bag £80m from his sale, that price looks to have scared off one of his biggest suitors in Real Madrid, and while PSG could yet enter the transfer race, it is Manchester United who have made all the early running.
Indeed, we revealed last Friday that, while West Ham were set to reject United’s opening offer, there was a two-fold belief that a deal would be done.
However, United are yet to launch that second offer in the hope that West Ham’s stance will soften, and with no other options coming to the table, the big-money auction they were hoping to generate would quickly die a death.
That high-stakes game of poker, though, now looks in danger of backfiring after Ornstein revealed that Tottenham have now joined the race in a move ‘driven by Roberto De Zerbi’ and with the Italian chasing his signing alongside that of Tonali, who they remain keen to bring in from Spurs.
He posted on X: ‘Tottenham Hotspur among clubs keen on signing Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United – separate to #THFC pursuit of Sandro Tonali. Interest driven by Roberto De Zerbi; wants #WHUFC talent as well as #NUFC midfielder.’
Whether that stirs United back into life remains to be seen, though The Athletic’s Manchester United correspondent, Laurie Whitwell, has given a detailed run-down of why the Red Devils are yet to launch bid number two…
Why Man Utd are taking their time over second Mateus Fernandes bid
After holding a series of talks with the player and securing his buy-in to the move to Old Trafford, it seemed only a matter of time before a full transfer agreement was reached.
However, United have instead opted to play the long game in the hope of grinding West Ham down.
Explaining that delay, Whitwell, in an appearance on Stretford Paddock, revealed: “I just don’t see United spending that kind of money. Now, could they construct a deal that, you know, started, I don’t know, would £60m be too much there and then you got £10m add-ons and so then you got to £70 and kind of perhaps West Ham feel that that’s okay. That’s sort of suitable.
“But I think that £80m would be seen as a much too high a price and maybe that’s why it’s gone a little bit quieter right now because, you know, Fernandes isn’t at the World Cup so it’s not like that’s delaying anything particularly.
“So whether it’s just United holding back so that they’re not entering these talks and they’re kind of waiting for West Ham to come to them almost in a way.”
However, he went on to add: “I do think United feel that they’ve got a good chance of getting him.”
United’s plans to strengthen in midfield this summer are well documented.
They have already done a deal for Atalanta’s Ederson, and while Fernandes is wanted next, they have also seemingly been presented with an opportunity to land a dream target from Real Madrid, too.
Any United move for Fernandes is complicated slightly by confirmation that the Red Devils also want to sign his West Ham teammate Crysencio Summerville.
The Netherlands winger also looks poised to leave the London Stadium this summer, and it’s now reported that United have offered him a five-year deal.
The former Leeds man is rated in the £50m bracket by the Hammers.
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