Paul Ince has exclusively told TEAMtalk why he cannot believe the price Tottenham Hotspur are willing to spend to beat Manchester United to Mateus Fernandes, with a sly dig at the cost of modern-day players and amid claims of what he and Roy Keane would fetch today.
The West Ham star is emerging as one of this summer’s most in-demand stars as he prepares to leave the London Stadium after just one year in East London. Despite a superb season on a personal level, Fernandes was unable to prevent the Hammers slipping out of the top flight, ending a stay of 14 straight seasons, meaning he will now be sold off to the highest bidder.
That chase has, for several weeks now, been led by Manchester United, who have engaged in talks with the player and his representatives and gained what they had felt was a strong promise that he would say yes to a move to Old Trafford.
However, with West Ham holding firm on their minimum £80m valuation and refusing to be bullied into accepting a lower fee, United have opted to bide their time in the hope that the Irons buckle over their demands.
That tactic, though, looks like it has now backfired and with Tottenham now bursting into the race, sources have shared the growing optimism they now have at sealing a deal.
Spurs’ hopes are fuelled by not only a willingness to pay the player more than United are offering, but also by agreeing to stump up a £85m (€99m, $112m) package to convince the player to move across the capital.
In light of that, former West Ham and United star Ince has revealed that the transfer fees being bandied about for top midfielders this summer are utterly mind-boggling.
Furthermore, the 58-year-old, who himself joined the Red Devils from the Hammers back in 1989, could not help making a sly dig over what he feels both he and his former Old Trafford teammate Roy Keane would be worth if they were playing today…
Paul Ince questions ‘crazy’ Mateus Fernandes valuation
When asked about the costs involved with Fernandes and if it takes him back to his own move from east London to Stretford, Ince told TEAMtalk, on behalf of BestBettingSites, the home of the best betting sites in the UK: “Well, it’s funny… I went from West Ham to Man United for £1 million! Which is absolute madness when you look at the prices today.
“When you are spending that type of money £80million, £110million, you expect that kind of money to be reserved for a striker who guarantees you 30 goals a season.
“Mateus Fernandes at West Ham… they’re talking £80 million for him. I mean, before he joined West Ham, he played in a Southampton side that went down; he’s now had back-to-back relegations, so to command that kind of money is crazy
“I know he’s technically a very good player, but when you pay that much money for midfield players, I want to see an all-rounder.
“I look at how I used to play, or Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Steven Gerrard – lads who went up and down, scored goals, put in massive tackles, and set up chances. Pure all-rounders.
“I don’t think a lot of these modern players are true all-rounders.
“So, for clubs to spend this type of money is pure madness.
“If you’re talking £120 million for Elliot Anderson… come on. Jesus Christ, that’s a lot of money!
“It’s not the kid’s fault, but if Roy Keane is valued at £300 million in today’s money, then if Anderson is worth £120 million, I’ve got to be worth at least £250 million, at least (he said with a laugh!).”
Should Man Utd miss out on Fernandes, they do have other targets in mind.
However, as TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Thursday morning, efforts to convince Bournemouth to sell Alex Scott have quickly been met with an emphatic response, with the Cherries making big plans of their own for the England midfield hopeful.
United could also turn to Aurelien Tchouameni instead, and an update from Fabrizio Romano has given United some hope that a big-money deal is there to be done with Real Madrid.
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