Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for a club-record £85m.
The Portugal midfielder becomes the most expensive acquisition in the club’s history, smashing the £65m paid for Dominic Solanke in 2024. The fee is guaranteed, with no add-ons attached.
It represents a significant coup for Spurs. Fernandes was one of the summer’s most coveted talents, and Tottenham saw off long-standing interest from Manchester United to land him.
Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid had also admired the 21-year-old, but were unwilling to match the Premier League’s financial power.
Tottenham Hotspur land Mateus Fernandes in club-record £85m deal
The player left no doubt about what swayed him. Roberto De Zerbi’s presence proved decisive, with the pair sharing a vision of how the game should be played.
We are delighted to announce the signing of Mateus Fernandes
“I’m very excited for this next step,” Fernandes told the club’s official website. “Spurs is a massive club and the head coach was a key part of why I have decided to join.
When we spoke, it was very special. We look at football in the same way, going onto the pitch as a strong team, with fight and energy.”
His qualities fit De Zerbi’s demands neatly. Fernandes is a technically gifted, press-resistant midfielder who covers enormous ground, ranking among the Premier League’s top runners last season.
He featured in 36 of 38 league games despite West Ham’s relegation. He becomes Spurs’ fifth summer signing.
Fernandes follows Martin Dubravka, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson through the door, in an aggressive overhaul from a club that survived relegation only on the final day.
The spending may not stop there. Tottenham remain in pursuit of Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali, having seen a bid rejected, as De Zerbi looks to build a midfield capable of challenging the elite.
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