Tottenham are preparing to submit an audacious formal offer to West Ham United to sign Matheus Fernandes, according to Nicolo Schira.
Fernandes has become one of the most in-demand players in the current summer transfer window after producing a series of impressive performances for West Ham during the recently concluded campaign.
The 21-year-old arrived in England from Sporting as a relatively unknown talent but quickly made his mark at Southampton before securing a move to West Ham following the Saints’ relegation.
However, for the second consecutive season, Fernandes has seen his club drop out of the top flight, and there is a growing possibility that he could be playing his football elsewhere next term.
He has been heavily linked with several clubs, including Tottenham, with Football Talk citing Matteo Moretto as reporting that Spurs are ‘very close’ to agreeing personal terms with Fernandes.
The club are now accelerating efforts to complete the deal, as Nicolo Schira claims that Tottenham are ‘ready’ to submit a formal £60m offer to West Ham to sign the midfielder this summer.
The north Londoners will hope their offer is sufficient to trump other interested clubs, with the Italian expert adding that Manchester United and Real Madrid are also in the race to sign the youngster.
Fernandes to Tottenham
Fernandes enjoyed an impressive campaign with West Ham, making 42 appearances across all competitions and contributing five goals and five assists.
However, it was arguably his work without the ball that stood out most throughout the season. His tally of 193 ball recoveries was the highest of any West Ham player.
While Jarrod Bowen attempted considerably more one-on-one duels, with 476 compared to Fernandes’ 384, the midfielder’s success rate of 55.73% comfortably surpassed the forward’s 43.07%.
The Portugal international also excelled defensively, registering 112 tackles over the course of the campaign, more than twice the total recorded by any of his teammates.
His total of 73 successful tackles was likewise the highest in the squad by a considerable margin, with Kyle Walker-Peters ranking second on the list with 38.
Having been second-best in winning duels for most of last season, Tottenham’s midfield will benefit from the addition of Fernandes, who brings much-needed combativeness and is efficient in possession, helping them thrive in Roberto De Zerbi’s ball-playing system.
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