Tottenham Hotspur are edging closer to landing West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, with transfer expert Matteo Moretto reporting the club are “very close” to agreeing personal terms.
The 21-year-old Portuguese midfielder is valued at £80m by West Ham, making him one of the more expensive targets Spurs have pursued this summer.
Despite interest from several top clubs, including Manchester United, Fernandes is open to joining Roberto De Zerbi’s side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Moretto confirmed that while personal terms are close to being finalised, club-to-club negotiations with West Ham are yet to officially begin.
That distinction means a deal is not yet complete, with Tottenham still needing to strike an agreement with the East London club before any transfer can proceed.
Fernandes impressed throughout a difficult season for West Ham, standing out individually even as his club suffered relegation from the Premier League.
His performances have drawn widespread attention across Europe, with Portugal boss Roberto Martinez among his admirers, describing the midfielder as “incredible.”
Tottenham’s renewed ambition in the market comes after a turbulent campaign that saw three different managers take charge of the club across various points of the season.
Roberto De Zerbi made the strongest impression of the trio, collecting 11 points from seven matches in charge, a run that helped Spurs finish two points clear of the relegation zone.
Following a second successive 17th-place finish, the club has moved swiftly to overhaul its squad, already securing the free-agent signings of Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth and Andy Robertson from Liverpool.
Jan Paul van Hecke has also been confirmed as a new arrival after joining from Brighton and Hove Albion, underlining the scale of the rebuilding effort underway in North London.
Adding Fernandes would represent another significant coup for the club as De Zerbi looks to reshape the squad in his own image ahead of the new season.
Tottenham’s ambitions do not appear limited to Fernandes, with the club also reportedly exploring a move for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali as the “ideal” midfield option.
Spurs are also said to be “in talks” to sign Savinho from Manchester City, suggesting a broad and ambitious summer recruitment drive is firmly underway.