LONDON (AP) — Tottenham signed Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for a reported club-record fee of 85 million pounds ($113 million) on Thursday.
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, who are on a recruitment drive this summer under recently-hired manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Center backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marco Senesi have already joined, along with former Liverpool left back Andy Robertson, while sections of the British media have also reported that Tottenham has reached an agreement to sign Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle.
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.”
“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."
Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange described Fernandes as “a player with outstanding technical ability, intelligence and maturity.”
“And even at a young age,” Lange said, “(he) has shown he can perform consistently in demanding, high-pressure environments.”
Tottenham is looking to rebound from the humiliation of a second straight 17th-place finish in the 20-team Premier League, having been in the top division since the late 1970s.
The team will not be playing in Europe next season.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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