Tottenham signed Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for a reported club-record fee of 85 million pounds ($113 million) on Thursday and looked set to add Italian international Sandro Tonali in a huge recruitment drive.The 21-year-old Fernandes, who wasn’t picked to play at the World Cup, was part of the West Ham team relegated on the final day of last season thanks to a last-day win by Tottenham.Now he has moved across London to Spurs, which is rebuilding its squad with recently hired manager Roberto De Zerbi after just about maintaining its top-flight status of nearly 50 years.Center backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marco Senesi have already joined, along with former Liverpool left back Andy Robertson, while midfielder Tonali has confirmed he is on his way to Tottenham from Newcastle in a deal the BBC reported could be worth 100 million pounds ($133 million).
Fernandes, who was only at West Ham for one season after joining from Southampton, said De Zerbi “was a key part of why I have decided to join” for a fee that surpasses the previous biggest outlay by Tottenham — a reported deal worth 65 million pounds ($83 million) to sign Dominic Solanke in August 2024.
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“When we spoke, it was very special,” said Fernandes, whose one Portugal appearance was as a late substitute in a 2-0 win over the United States in April. “We look at football in the same way — going onto the pitch as a strong team, with fight and energy, to try and win every game.”
