Tottenham Hotspur may have moved one step closer to landing another dream Roberto De Zerbi transfer target after offering him £7.3m per year to join the club.
Tottenham chiefs and De Zerbi are clearly doing everything to not only ensure they don't find themselves in a Premier League relegation scrap again next season, but that they are actually competing in and around the top six again.
That is the level of ambition they are showing in the summer transfer window so far, with Andy Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka already signing on at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spurs are far from done there even though their backline is coming together, with a focus on strengthening their midfield and attack next ahead of next season.
Tottenham are being linked with many forwards including Marcus Rashford and Savinho, who Fabrizio Romano reports they are in talks with Manchester City to sign.
However, midfield seems to be the priority right now, with De Zerbi showing huge ambition with the players he wants to join to bolster the engine room.
Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali has been their number one target for the position, but the Italian manager wants West Ham's Mateus Fernandes alongside him too next term.
Tottenham Offer Mateus Fernandes £7.3m-Per-Year Contract
While Tottenham remain intent on a big-money deal to prise Tonali away from St James' Park, they are also involved in an intense battle with Manchester United for Fernandes.
According to Claret & Hugh, both clubs are said to have reached an agreement on personal terms with the player, who is open to joining whichever club can agree a fee with the Hammers.
The report claims that Spurs have offered a deal worth approximately £140,000-a-week (£7.3m per year) to the Portugal international to convince him to move across the capital, with the 21-year-old's salary dropping to £30,000-a-week from £60,000-a-week following the club's relegation to the Championship.
A deal isn't close yet though, with either club yet to make a formal offer for the 'superstar' midfielder, who West Ham are determined to get £80-85m for.
Perhaps things will move once the SCR deadline passes on Tuesday.
Tottenham Offer West Ham Fernandes Swap Deal
According to ExWHUEmployee, Tottenham are offering players in exchange to try and help get a deal over the line for Fernandes.
Spurs and United both seem reluctant to reach West Ham's £85m valuation as things stand, so offering players as part of any offer will help to reduce the fee.
Of course, the Irons also need to be tempted by what is being offered to them, with Mikey Moore one of the names mentioned.
Tottenham surely won't want to lose the talented 18-year-old permanently following an impressive year on loan with Rangers, but also De Zerbi has shown that he prefers experience to youth, with Lucas Bergvall already deciding he needs to go following the club's interest in Tonali and Fernandes.
A loan exit for Moore could be a possibility then, and he could be seen as a player who could really boost West Ham's chances of securing an immediate return to the Premier League.