The pursuit of Fernandes is part of a broader strategy to transform the midfield at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The club has already been active elsewhere, with reports suggesting they are also pushing for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali. Securing both players would represent a massive statement of intent, especially given the competition from other top-six sides for Tonali’s signature.
The London outfit have already been busy in the window, securing the services of Andy Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi. With Fernandes and Tonali in their sights, De Zerbi is clearly looking to add both technical quality and defensive energy to his engine room. Fernandes is coming off a productive campaign with West Ham, having made 39 appearances across all competitions last season, scoring five goals and providing five assists.