Spurs sign West Ham's Mateus Fernandes for club-record £85m fee

Spurs signed Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for a club-record £85 million ($113.4 million) after West Ham's Premier League relegation. The 21-year-old Portugal midfielder, who arrived in England in 2025 via Southampton, has five goals in 72 Premier League appearances.

This signing is Tottenham's most expensive ever, surpassing the £52 million paid for Xavi Simons. It signals manager Roberto de Zerbi's intent to rebuild a squad that narrowly avoided relegation last season. For Nigerian football fans following the Premier League, it shows Spurs' ambition to compete higher up the table and could affect match outcomes involving Nigerian players at other clubs.

Fernandes praised de Zerbi's vision, saying they share a philosophy of energetic, winning football. Manchester United were also reportedly interested. Spurs begin their Premier League season on August 22 at Brentford. With such a large investment, will this signing translate into immediate impact for Spurs, or will Fernandes need time to adapt to de Zerbi's system and the pressure of a record fee?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/07/02/portugals-fernandes-joins-tottenham-from-west-ham/