Spurs are close to agreeing personal terms to sign the £85m star

Tottenham Hotspur have come out of the blocks at the start of this transfer window in a huge number of knots.

No other side in the Premier League has shown as much desire as Spurs in the early weeks of the summer. To treat them well, they needed to do something special after the period of crisis they had just experienced.

In another reality, the Lilywhites are relegated and trying to force a move on proven EFL talent.

However, the truth is much more interesting than that, so much so that it almost defies belief if we are completely honest.

After strengthening their defense with the addition of Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and popular defender Andy Robertson, Spurs are trying to complete the deal for Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.

A club record signing could be completed by Spurs

If you told Tottenham fans a month ago that they would not only be in the running for Tonali but have a real chance of signing his signature, they would have laughed in your face.

However, lo and behold, they have seen their initial £75m bid rejected by Newcastle United. Spurs will be back again and with the player reportedly having agreed personal terms with the club, a deal is on the table here.

What reportedly helps in the negotiations is the connection between De Zerbi and Tonali, both of whom come from the same area of ​​Italy, Brescia.

While that alone won’t be enough to seal the deal, especially with Manchester City and Arsenal interested, they have a very good chance of bringing him to north London.

That said, Spurs are not just looking to sign one top player. They also looked at West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes.

Having spoken to the Hammers about a potential move, they lodged an inquiry early last week. Now, they are in conversation with the player.

That’s according to reports from Spain which suggest that Fernandes is actually “very close” to reaching an agreement on personal terms with Spurs.

The Irons star is said to be “open” to signing for the Lilywhites, although formal talks with West Ham have yet to take place.

The Portuguese midfielder is expected to sign for Manchester United this summer, but Spurs are also in the race. One of the biggest sticking points can be payment. West Ham are reportedly asking for £85m.

Why did Fernandes explode at Spurs like Kudus

Let’s cast our minds back to the past year. Ange Postecoglou had just left Spurs and Thomas Frank was still the manager.

The goal was to take Tottenham to the top. There’s no way they’ll finish 17 again, right… Think again. It didn’t matter what Spurs did last summer, it all came quickly.

Perhaps the best thing they did was sign Mohammed Kudus from West Ham for £55m. Although the defender ended the season with injury, after which he missed the World Cup with Ghana, he was arguably the team’s best player in the first half of the campaign.

Kudus finished the season with just three goals and six assists in 26 games, but he was much better than those numbers read. Creatively, he was special. He took little time to get up to speed in Spurs colours.

A year later, the Lilywhites could repeat that tactic to sign another West Ham player, albeit in very different circumstances. Of course, after being relegated, the Hammers are expected to sell Fernandes and other first team stars.

For the Portuguese, they would get one of the best midfielders in the Premier League last season, a player who could live at Spurs like a wet duck, just like Kudus did.

The advantage of signing proven players in the Premier League is that you know what you are getting. There is very little risk involved, even if it didn’t go well for Spurs. Richarlison, we’re looking at you.

However, in Fernandes, Tottenham should be sure to get another Kudus, not another Richarlison. Why? Well, he is incredibly consistent and at the age of 21, he is one of the best players in his position on the continent.

When compared against U21 midfielders in Europe’s top seven leagues in 2025/26, the youngster was ranked second for most successful passes completed while ranking first for match wins, defensive duels won and passes.

He is the perfect Premier League midfielder. He has an aggressive side but also has a good eye for football. He is a very good footballer and like Kudus before he moved, he has shown that he can succeed in a team that is not very successful in possession.

That move by Kudus looked like a masterclass after the opening few months of the season and it would have been a great encounter if they had managed to beat Man United to Fernandes.

There is a real belief here that he could be one of the best midfielders in the world. At around 20 years old, he is already one of the best in the league.