Tottenham has reportedly intensified its pursuit of West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes. This development follows an unsuccessful bid for Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United, as the club aims to strengthen its central midfield options.
Mateus Fernandes, a 21-year-old Portugal international, is considered a primary target for Tottenham. Discussions are said to be ongoing and progressing positively, with Tottenham reportedly optimistic about reaching an agreement. West Ham is understood to be seeking a fee of around £80m for the player, who has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Paris St-Germain.
Midfield Reinforcement Efforts
Tottenham‘s interest in Fernandes comes as the club’s manager, Roberto de Zerbi, is reportedly looking to make significant moves in midfield. The club had previously submitted an offer for Italy international Sandro Tonali, which was rejected by Newcastle United. That offer was understood to be worth approximately £80m. De Zerbi is said to be a long-time admirer of Tonali, and Tottenham had been exploring the financial aspects of a deal for the 26-year-old.
However, Tonali has four years remaining on his contract with Newcastle. He signed a new deal to show his commitment to the club following a 10-month ban for violating the Football Association‘s betting regulations. West Ham, having been relegated from the Premier League, is expected to see Fernandes depart as they look to raise funds. Fernandes joined West Ham from Southampton for £38m last summer and made a positive impression.
While Manchester United also views Fernandes as a key target, Tottenham is reportedly prepared to offer a more competitive financial package. Real Madrid has also considered a move for the Portuguese midfielder.
Other Transfer Market Activities
Tottenham has been active in the transfer market this summer, having already secured four new players. Earlier in the week, the club reached an agreement to sign goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on a free transfer. The 37-year-old Slovakian international will join once his contract with Burnley concludes on 1 July.
Dubravka‘s arrival adds to Tottenham‘s defensive reinforcements. The club has also brought in Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson, both on free transfers from Bournemouth and Liverpool, respectively. Additionally, Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke was signed from Brighton for £52m.
Beyond midfield targets, Tottenham is also among several clubs considering a move for West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville. Chelsea and Manchester United are also tracking Summerville, who has scored twice for the Netherlands at the World Cup. Meanwhile, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Everton have expressed interest in West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen, though West Ham is reportedly keen to retain him.
In other transfer news, Chelsea is reportedly considering a move for Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra, who is also a target for Inter. The Serie A champions have been pushing to finalise a £38.8m deal for the 21-year-old, but face competition from Chelsea and another Premier League side. Palestra, who spent last season on loan at Cagliari, has made two appearances for Italy.
Chelsea‘s manager, Xabi Alonso, is assessing his squad and aims to bolster his defence. Crystal Palace‘s Maxence Lacroix, a 26-year-old centre-back, is high on Chelsea‘s target list and has attracted interest from other clubs. Chelsea is also considering Como‘s Jacobo Ramón and may look to sign two centre-backs, depending on player departures. There is uncertainty surrounding the futures of Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana. Alonso also needs additional depth at left-back following Marc Cucurella‘s move to Real Madrid.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
George Hartwell is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB.org, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with twelve years of reporting experience. He reported on West Country football before national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of the West of England and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Bristol, he watches grassroots football and writes a tactics column. “Tactics tell you more than any scoreline.”