Mateus Fernandes has given a fascinating insight into why he joined Tottenham this summer, despite being strongly linked with a big-money move to Premier League rivals Manchester United.
The 22-year-old midfielder, who was one of West Ham's standout performers last season, joined Tottenham at the start of July for a club-record £85million fee.
Before penning a deal with the North London club this summer, a number of teams had expressed interest in Fernandes, including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
In fact, Fernandes was viewed as a priority target for United at one stage, but they were unwilling to match the fee agreed by Spurs following talks with his agent, Jorge Mendes.
A report from the BBC claims United were 'not convinced' Fernandes wanted to play at Old Trafford and instead, they pursued moves for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemens from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively.
Now, the midfielder has spoken out about his decision to join Spurs, mentioning how Roberto De Zerbi and Pedro Porro convinced him to join Tottenham over United.
Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, Fernandes was asked why he decided to sign for Spurs. "The desire of playing for a big club, winning games, to fight for the Premier League, for the title," he replied.
"The way he [De Zerbi] spoke with me and my family was very important for me. He was calling me every day, so I’m very happy to work with him, and hopefully we can do great things.
"It was more about (forming a) connection, because my dad and my mum don’t speak English very well. It was more about feelings.
"He said he would take care of me, that he would be my second dad in England. I’m very happy to work with him."
Fernandes also mentioned the influence of Portuguese teammate Pedro Porro.
The midfielder added: "He called me one day — I didn’t answer because I was sleeping — he said, in Portuguese, 'Come on Mateus, you need to play with us, we want you. It was me that told the manager to bring you.'
"Then when everything was done, I spoke with him a bit about the club, the mentality in the team, the team-mates as well. He’s an important player. He’s one of the best right-backs in the world. He’s a top guy."
What will Matheus Fernandes bring to Tottenham's midfield?
Despite West Ham's relegation, Fernandes was one of the top-ranking midfielders in the Premier League last season when it came to distance covered.
The 22-year-old, who operates primarily as a progressive number 8, is also capable of breaking the lines with long through-balls and dribbles.
Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi was full of praise for Fernandes on his arrival.
"I've admired Mateus for a long time because he combines quality on the ball with the intensity and intelligence that are so important in the way we want to play," said De Zerbi.
"Despite his age, he already has good experience in the Premier League and has shown quality and consistency at this level.
"Mateus is comfortable under pressure, can progress the ball, works hard for the team and has the courage to make things happen in difficult moments. I believe this is the ideal environment for him to continue his development."