Tottenham sign Mateus Fernandes from relegated West Ham for club-record £85m
Tottenham Hotspur have signed Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes from relegated West Ham United for a reported club-record £85 million, with manager Roberto De Zerbi playing a decisive role in the 21-year-old's decision to move across London.
Record deal
Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the signing of Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United on Thursday. The fee, according to British and Portuguese media, is a club-record £85 million (€99.3 million, $113.4 million), surpassing any previous outlay by the north London club. Fernandes, 21, moves across the capital after just one season at West Ham, having joined the Hammers from Southampton last year for a sum reported in excess of £40 million. The transfer beat interest from Manchester United and becomes the centrepiece of a summer spending spree under recently appointed manager Roberto De Zerbi.
De Zerbi's influence
Fernandes made clear that the Italian coach was pivotal to his decision.
De Zerbi, who took over in April after a grim campaign that saw Spurs finish 17th and just two points above the relegation zone, was equally effusive.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, to try and win every game.
Sporting director Johan Lange described the midfielder as "a player with outstanding technical ability, intelligence and maturity" who "has shown he can perform consistently in demanding, high-pressure environments."I have admired Mateus for a long time, because he combines quality on the ball with the intensity and intelligence that are so important in the way we want to play.
Career trajectory
A product of Sporting CP's academy, Fernandes made his senior breakthrough in 2022/23 before a loan spell at Estoril helped him earn a £15 million move to Southampton in 2024. He spent one season on the south coast, then joined West Ham in 2025 for around €44 million. His 38 Premier League appearances last term could not save the Hammers from relegation on the final day, ironically with Spurs securing their own survival at West Ham's expense. Now he becomes one of the most expensive Portuguese players ever, with his transfer fees charting a steep upward curve.
- Southampton (2024)
- 15 € million
- West Ham (2025)
- 44 € million
- Tottenham (2026)
- 99.3 € million
Spurs' rebuild
Tottenham's recruitment drive this summer already includes centre-backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marco Senesi, and veteran goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who arrived on July 1. British media also reports that an agreement is close for Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, a deal that could eclipse the Fernandes fee. After two consecutive 17th-place finishes, the club is aiming to climb back toward the top half but will do so without European football next season. Fernandes, who made his Portugal debut as a late substitute in a 2-0 win over the United States in April but was omitted from the World Cup squad, will be expected to bring creativity and fight to a side badly in need of both.
