Spurs seal £85m Mateus Fernandes deal as Sheringham tells Man Utd to chase elite talent

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed an £85 million deal with West Ham to sign Portugal international midfielder Mateus Fernandes, ending Manchester United’s pursuit of a player they had identified as a priority target this summer. United were unwilling to match the fee, and the club is now expected to explore alternative options in the transfer market.

The development is the latest in a difficult window for United’s midfield recruitment. Another target, Elliot Anderson, is reportedly on the verge of a £116 million move to Manchester City, prompting speculation that United may pivot toward cheaper, less established alternatives.

Former United and West Ham striker Teddy Sheringham, however, is urging the club to resist that temptation. Speaking to ComeOn, Sheringham argued that missing out on Fernandes should not be a source of regret.

“Man Utd fans shouldn’t be upset at missing out on Mateus Fernandes — he simply isn’t good enough for the club,” Sheringham said. “I wasn’t so impressed with Mateus Fernandes at West Ham this year. A lot of West Ham fans think he’ll go on to bigger and better things but the jury’s still out for me on Fernandes.”

Sheringham drew a sharp contrast between United’s current recruitment approach and the standards set under Sir Alex Ferguson, pointing to the club’s failure to sign Harry Kane and Declan Rice as evidence of a recurring problem.

“Manchester United need top players. They’ve already got enough decent players. They need to buy the top players or they will miss out again and again,” he said. “It was the same with Harry Kane and Declan Rice a few years ago when the chance was there to go and sign them. United were nowhere in the market for them. Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn’t have let that happen.”

“Sir Alex always brought in the top players and they came in and led by example. So go out and break the bank for the top players and let them lead.”

United are preparing for a return to the Champions League in the 2026/27 season after finishing third in the Premier League last term — their first involvement in the competition since 2023/24. Tottenham, the club now set to land Fernandes, are seeking a significant turnaround after narrowly avoiding relegation to the Championship on the final day of last season.