Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi views both Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes as priority transfer targets to rebuild his well below par midfield, and the Italian manager has been gunning hard to sign both players after successfully getting the club to invest 60 million euros in center back Jan Paul van Hecke, his former pupil at Brighton.
Tonali and Fernandes will both cost even more. So far, Tottenham have been in the driver's seat for both. Arsenal don't seem to be pursuing Tonali actively, while Manchester City have prioritized other midfield targets. But when it comes to Fernandes, though it seemed that both Real Madrid and Manchester United were backing off with Madrid focused on Enzo Fernandez and United balking at the price tag, that is no longer the case.
According to new information from top transfer insider Matteo Moretto of MARCA, Manchester United is back in the Mateus Fernandes transfer battle. Moretto says that Man United have made "new contacts" to sign the West Ham United star and are ready to improve the contract they have on the table for the 21 year old in order to get him to sign. After reaching out to the player, United are also planning on "direct talks" with the Hammers. Though Moretto says Tottenham Hotspur are in the race and have "pressed hard", the Red Devils are not attempting to "get ahead".
Tottenham had to know it wasn't going to be easy
Tottenham fans had to know that a battle for one of the best young midfielders not just in the Premier League but in all of Europe would be a hard fought one. A player like Fernandes is not just going to easily walk to the 17th placed team in the Premier League, even if he is just coming from the club that Spurs relegated to the EFL Championship.
The real key Spurs will have to see is who Fernandes wants more, which is an advantage Manchester United have as a bigger club coming off a much better season, and how much Man United are willing to pay. Initially, it looked like Man United were walking away from the deal because he was too expensive, but that is no longer the case.
Since Manchester United are prepared, per Matteo Moretto, to increase Fernandes's wage offer, the real issue Tottenham have to watch for is the transfer value. Because if Man United are willing to match the offer Tottenham have on the table, then Spurs have to be very worried about missing out on Roberto De Zerbi's prime defensive midfield target.
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