This midfielder is also wanted by a boatload of clubs.
Tottenham Hotspur has been looking to upgrade their roster in the ongoing offseason as Roberto De Zerbi looks to add quality to the squad after the Lilywhites’ two consecutive seventeenth-place finishes.
The former Brighton man has come out on the front foot in this summer window, leading the North Londoners’ charge with Tottenham already completing four transfers. All of them have been signings at the back, with Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and Martin Dubravka already coming through the doors at N17.
And now Tottenham and De Zerbi shift their focus to the second phase, a set of positions where Tottenham supporters have been craving quality for some time now.
Tottenham looking at PL duo for second phase upgrade
Spurs have been linked with two high-profile mids in the recent weeks. Newcastle United maestro Sandro Tonali has been aggressively linked with a move to Hotspur Way alongside West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes. While Tottenham have submitted two offers for the former, the club continues to be linked with the Portuguese as well, given he is looking for a move away from London Stadium after the Hammers’ relegation last season.
But Tottenham are rivaling Manchester United for his signature, with Carrick & Co. aggressively pursuing a move for the former Southampton man.
It does look like Tottenham will be pushing for a move for Tonali, but in doing so, they are not releasing the pedal from Fernandes’ push, with a recent report from transfer journalist Ben Jacobs stating that the Lilywhites have held advanced talks with him despite Man United’s push to sign him.
Manchester United and Spurs both in talks with Mateus Fernandes and West Ham.
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) June 27, 2026
Suggestions the player has decided on a club are premature as of this morning.
Spurs have held advanced talks with the player, while Manchester United discussions ongoing since May.
Both clubs are… pic.twitter.com/8tpvlxPJLB
Fernandes push a breath of fresh air at N17
Time and again we have seen Tottenham putting all of their eggs in one basket and then being left with none at the end and having to move for plan C or plan D (like that Xavi Simons transfer last summer). So this approach of ensuring that the club continues to lay groundwork for Tonali as well as Mateus shows how the club is serious about landing Plan A quality this summer.
There was a report from TEAMtalk earlier this week that said that Tottenham are ready to pay £85m, including all bonuses for Fernandes, with £65m of that fee being paid at the time of transfer. They also added that Tottenham are ready to offer a significantly better salary package for Fernandes than the Manchester Reds, showing that De Zerbi’s men remain in a strong position for Fernandes as well as Tonali.
