Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United in a deal worth a club-record £85 million.
The north London side did not disclose the length of the 21-year-old’s contract. Fernandes has earned one senior cap for Portugal but was not selected for the country’s squad at the 2026 World Cup.
Fernandes arrives after spending the past two seasons in the Premier League with Southampton and West Ham. Although both clubs were relegated during his time there, the midfielder impressed enough to attract interest from several top clubs.
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi described Fernandes as a player he has admired for a long time, praising his technical ability, composure under pressure, work rate and tactical intelligence. De Zerbi believes the young midfielder already has valuable Premier League experience and sees Tottenham as the ideal place for him to continue his development.
Tottenham secured the deal despite competition from Manchester United, who chose not to match the £85 million fee. The agreement is understood to be fully guaranteed, with no performance-related add-ons.
Fernandes became Spurs’ priority midfield target after Newcastle United rejected their approach for Sandro Tonali. The club has since reached a separate agreement worth £100 million to sign the Italian international, highlighting an ambitious start to the summer transfer window.
Fernandes is Tottenham’s fifth signing of the summer and said he was eager to begin the next chapter of his career, adding that the opportunity to work under De Zerbi played a major role in his decision to join the club.