Tottenham Hotspur have been the most active team in the summer transfer window thus far, and they seem to up the ante with each successive signing. After securing both veteran defenders Andrew Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free agent deals, Spurs brought in Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for 60 million euros at the insistence of his former manager Roberto De Zerbi, now at Spurs.
And now, they have spent the most money in their club history on one player, securing the 85 million pound signing of 21 year old defensive midfielder, as reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic, over the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid solely by being willing to meet that West Ham United valuation at all costs.
Fernandes is a blockbuster defensive midfield signing with world class potential, and players like him who can defend, create, progress, and even score at a high level are in increasingly high demand - and still in rare supply. The Fernandes signing is a bet on both the player's world class future and his ability to help Spurs as a team, as the club continue to buy into Roberto De Zerbi's scouting eye and the players he needs for his tactical system.
Tottenham still need Sandro Tonali
Even after signing Mateus Fernandes, Tottenham Hotspur will continue to support De Zerbi with the top class midfielders he still wants to sign, and it is obvious that they will look to seal the deal by signing the other big name he is pushing for in the middle of the park, Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali.
Though he is a few years older than Fernandes, Tonali is still in high demand around European football with Premier League title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal having shown significant interest at various points of 2026.
Tonali is an even bigger name than Fernandes with more technical ability and the upside to fulfill his destiny as a world class regista. He has great leadership skills, vision of the pitch, and above average defensive quality and ball progression. Tonali has been stifled a bit in Newcastle, but Roberto De Zerbi and Spurs have not forgotten that he once pulled AC Milan back up to the Scudetto just a handful of years ago.
Another likely 85 million pound expenditure - or potentially even more - Tonali has significant interest from Manchester City that may be growing. Fernandes alone is not enough to transform this midfield, and you had better believe De Zerbi will continue to go guns ablazing for Sandro Tonali.
Add us as a preferred source on Google