Metro.co.uk

Tottenham have accelerated talks to sign Mateus Fernandes ahead of Manchester United having offered the midfielder a huge salary package.

United have made the West Ham star a top target for their midfield rebuild this summer with the Hammers valuing him at £80million.

Michael Carrick’s side have been reluctant to meet that price, valuing him closer at £60m, but were said to have agreed personal terms with the 21-year-old who was reportedly keen to link up with countryman Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford.

Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have also explored a move but Tottenham however have made their move to hijack the deal.

It emerged this week Fernandes would also be keen on a move to Spurs with BBC Sport reporting the north London side are now optimistic of agreeing a deal.

After their brush with relegation last season, Tottenham have moved aggressively in the transfer market having already signed Marco Senesi and Andy Robertson on free transfers from Bournemouth and Liverpool and Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £52m.

They have also made an offer of around £80m for Sandro Tonali, one rejected by Newcastle United.

Fernandes is now viewed as a primary target with The Sun reporting Tottenham are prepared to make a huge salary offer that will ‘blow United out of the water.’

United already seem set to miss out on Elliot Anderson with the Nottingham Forest star preferring a move to Manchester City.

Losing out in the race to sign Fernandes would serve as a big blow to their midfield rebuild plans.

The club are also interested in signing Alex Scott from Bournemouth with Arsenal and Liverpool also keen on the England international.

United have enquired into a move only to be sold Scott is not for sale this summer.

Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba are also of interest with a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta expected to be confirmed next month.

Arrow MORE: England’s Trevoh Chalobah told he can leave Chelsea as bid is made

Arrow MORE: Jose Mourinho open to selling £70m Real Madrid star to Manchester United

Arrow MORE: Tottenham confirm surprise free transfer of former Man Utd veteran

Tottenham have brought in veteran goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on a free transfer as Roberto De Zerbi continues to reshape his squad over the summer.

Spurs have been hard at work in the transfer market, already bringing in two other free transfers in Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth and Andy Robertson from Liverpool.

There has been some big spending as well, with Jan Paul van Hecke coming in from Brighton for £52m.

Dubravka arrives after a year with Burnley, making 35 Premier League appearances for the Clarets as they suffered relegation.

That year with the Clarets continued an epic career for the 60-cap Slovakia international which saw him make his senior debut 19 years ago.

He is best known for his eight years at Newcastle United, where he made 179 appearances in all competitions and won the Carabao Cup in 2025.

Dubravka also picked up a winner’smedal for Manchester United’s Carabao Cup triumph in 2023, having made two appearances in the competition in a loan spell.

He showed he can still perform in the top flight last season and is looking forward to the latest chapter in his career.

‘It’s an exciting time for me, a new journey and new experience for me and my family. I’m looking forward to it,’ he said.

‘Everything moved pretty quickly and I’m really happy to be here. I’ve loved watching Roberto’s teams over the years and know all about his style, vision and the fantastic fans here.

‘Tottenham Hotspur is one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League and I can’t wait to meet everyone and get started.’

Spurs boss De Zerbi added: ‘I am very happy because Martin is a goalkeeper with big experience and a strong mentality.

‘He has very important qualities for me and will bring balance, leadership and competitiveness to our dressing room.’

The goalkeeping situation at Spurs is a bit up in the air, with Antonin Kinsky replacing Guglielmo Vicario as first choice late in the season.

The Czech goalkeeper seems set to continue in that role for now, but whether he is the long-term option is yet to be seen.

Arrow MORE: Man Utd told to pull out of £80m transfer after agreeing personal terms

Arrow MORE: Tottenham set to complete shock signing of highly-rated Arsenal youngster

Arrow MORE: Mateus Fernandes makes shock transfer decision after Man Utd agree terms with £80m star

Tottenham are on the verge of completing an audacious move and poaching highly-rated Arsenal youngster Kyran Thompson.

The 16-year-old joined the Gunners from West Ham two years ago and looked destined to become the next gem to roll off the Hale End Academy production line.

Thompson has made rapid progress through the ranks and has already made his Under 21 debut in Premier League 2.

Arsenal had been hoping to tie Thompson down to a new contact with his current scholarship terms expiring in little over a week’s time.

With little progress having been made, rival clubs are beginning to circle with intent.

Manchester City attempted to sign the winger when he left the Hammers in a £1.1million deal and, according to the Daily Mail, have revived their interest.

Spurs, however, have emerged as the leading contenders to sign Thompson and are said to be growing increasingly confident of winning the race to sign a player Arsenal had earmarked for a bright future.

The likes of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman have all made first team impressions over the course of the last 18 months with Mikel Arteta increasingly willing to give young players a chance.

Marli Salmon and Jaden Dixon also made their senior debuts last season and Thompson, it was assumed, was on course to follow suit in the coming years.

The competition for attacking places at Arsenal is intense, however, with Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who plays in a similar position to Thompson, on the verge of agreeing a move to the Premier League champions.

Behind the scenes, meanwhile, Arsenal are still settling on a replacement for Per Mertesacker.

The former club captain has served as academy director for the entirety of Arteta’s managerial reign but departed at the end of last season.

Arrow MORE: Mateus Fernandes makes shock transfer decision after Man Utd agree terms with £80m star

Arrow MORE: Morgan Rogers makes Arsenal transfer decision after Chelsea and Man Utd interest

Arrow MORE: Marcus Rashford stance on Tottenham transfer revealed as Spurs target £40m Manchester United forward

Mateus Fernandes is reportedly keen to pursue a move to Tottenham despite already agreeing personal terms over a move to Manchester United.

Fernandes appears poised to leave West Ham this summer following the club’s relegation from the Premier League.

The 21-year-old was signed from Southampton last summer in a deal worth £38million plus £4m in add-ons and impressed in his debut season with the Hammers.

Fernandes is not short of options, with United just one of several clubs, including Arsenal, Real Madrid and Tottenham, who have considered a move for the Portuguese midfielder this summer.

Reports suggest that Arsenal have already withdrawn from the transfer race and turned to other targets such as Aston Villa and England star Morgan Rogers.

And according to the Spanish outlet Diario AS, Real have also now ruled out a move for Fernandes as they turn their attention towards Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

However, the report also adds that Fernandes has expressed a clear desire to move to Tottenham, where he believes he has more chances of regular minutes to aid his progression.

Such a development would come as a hammer blow to the United hierarchy, who are said to have already agreed personal terms with Fernandes.

Additional reporting from transfer journalist Nicolo Schira suggests that Spurs are now in talks with West Ham as they look to overtake United and land a statement signing to bolster Roberto De Zerbi’s midfield.

West Ham are holding out for a fee of around £80million for Fernandes, with Spurs reportedly happy to pay more than United for the 21-year-old.

Speaking to The United Stand, Daily Mail journalist Mike Keegan said: ‘What I’ve heard relatively recently is Spurs have come in, and Spurs are surprising people, not just at United, across the Premier League.

‘The way it was described to me, they’ve gone really aggressive with the amount of money that they’re willing to spend.

‘My information is that Spurs are already at the higher end of what United would be happy to pay for him.

‘There is a belief that he still wants to come and play for United, but it’s not just players, there’s agents involved, it tends to be that the player goes to whoever’s offering them the most money.’

Alongside their interest in Fernandes, Tottenham are also exploring a deal for Sandro Tonali but saw their first bid of £75m rejected by Newcastle United.

Speaking exclusively to Metro earlier in the transfer window, former Red Devils striker Michael Owen urged United to do everything they can to land Fernandes.

‘Personally, if I was Michael Carrick, if I were Manchester United, I’d be getting Fernandes from West Ham,’ Owen said, ‘I think he’s very good. I think he’s exactly what they need.

‘I watched him a lot. I think he’s a very good pick. He’s reasonably young which is another massive tick. If you’re going to be spending 80 to 100 million then you don’t want to be buying someone that’s in their late 20s.

‘I could see him and Kobbie Mainoo forming a great partnership in there.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arrow MORE: Morgan Rogers makes Arsenal transfer decision after Chelsea and Man Utd interest

Arrow MORE: Marcus Rashford stance on Tottenham transfer revealed as Spurs target £40m Manchester United forward

Arrow MORE: Arsenal tipped to hijack Tottenham deal for £85m transfer target: ‘Best in the world’

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is not looking to join another Premier League club after receiving interest from Tottenham, according to reports.

Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona where he scored 14 goals and registered 14 assists in 49 appearances.

But instead of making Rashford’s loan move permanent, Barcelona opted to sign Anthony Gordon in an €80 million (£69.3m) deal from Newcastle United last month.

Rashford, who had a €30m (£25.8m) purchase option in his loan agreement with Barcelona, now faces the prospect of returning to United after England’s World Cup campaign is over.

According to inews, Tottenham are targeting Rashford as they are targeting proven Premier League players this summer.

The report claims that Spurs are unwilling to match Rashford’s £40m release clause and are looking to negotiate a lower fee with United for the 28-year-old.

However, Rashford is said to be holding out for another move outside of the Premier League, either a return to Barcelona or a move to Bayern Munich, who have expressed an interest in the past.

Barcelona have attempted to re-sign Rashford on a second loan deal but their proposal was rejected by United, who want a permanent sale.

Roberto De Zerbi is said to be a huge admirer of Rashford and the Italian is playing a key role in Spurs’ transfer activity this summer as Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali is one of his key targets.

Rashford is with England’s squad for their World Cup campaign and came off the bench to score in the 4-2 win over Croatia last Wednesday.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arrow MORE: Arsenal tipped to hijack Tottenham deal for £85m transfer target: ‘Best in the world’

Arrow MORE: Arsenal receive £17m transfer offer after Mikel Arteta agrees to sell title winner

Arrow MORE: Campaign calls for London Night Tube to run for England’s World Cup matches

Arsenal should be confident about hijacking Tottenham’s pursuit of Sandro Tonali having pulled off a similar feat to sign Eberechi Eze last summer.

That’s according to former Premier League striker Jay Bothroyd, who labelled the Newcastle United midfielder ‘one of the best in the world’ and an automatic starter in Mikel Arteta’s side.

Tonali has been a vital cog in Eddie Howe’s midfield in recent seasons, but appears poised to leave the club this summer after Newcastle failed to qualify for the Champions League.

And despite finishing 17th in the Premier League last season, it is Tottenham who are currently leading the charge to sign the Italian as they look to complete an audacious deal to bolster Roberto De Zerbi’s midfield.

Spurs have already seen an opening offer of £75million dismissed by Newcastle, but are said to be confident that they can strike a deal for £85m.

However, additional reports suggest that Tonali would favour a move to Tottenham’s arch-rivals Arsenal, who have been repeatedly linked with the Italian midfielder.

And while Arsenal appear to currently be prioritising a move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, Bothroyd wouldn’t be surprised to see the Gunners swoop in at the last minute to prise another marquee signing out of Spurs’ hands.

‘I did say the other day, if Arsenal come in, exactly the same situation that happened with Eze is going to happen again with Tonali,’ the former Premier League striker told Sky Sports.

‘I think Tonali is one of the best midfielders in the world. I heard Paul Scholes talk about him and he was talking about how he’s got a lot more in his locker than Declan Rice.

‘Declan Rice is one of the best in the world, but I believe Paul Scholes – Tonali is also one of the best in the world.

‘I love watching him play, very industrious, makes tackles, box to box, scores goals, leads by example. He’s got everything you would want in your midfielder.

‘He’s just 26 years old as well. He would definitely go straight into Arsenal’s starting lineup, and obviously make it better. So I can understand why Arsenal want him to go in there. They need to retain the title.’

Bothroyd was similarly enthused about Arsenal’s interest in England star Rogers, and said the 23-year-old would not struggle for regular starts in a red shirt.

Asked where Rogers would fit in Arteta’s side, Bothroyd said: ‘That’s pretty much easy. Trossard, Martinelli, Odegaard [could all drop out].

‘That’s an easy fix, really. He’s going to walk straight into that team as well. And Tonali will.

‘And that’s what it’s going to take. If Arsenal are going to retain the trophy and dominate English football, they need to keep making signings like this.

‘But the reason why I like Rogers as well is because he brings versatility to that forward line. If Saka is injured, he could potentially play on the right if Madueke’s not fit. He can play as a number 10. He could play on the left.

‘He could even play in a more reserved role in a three in midfield in Odegaard’s position. Or if Zubimendi’s unfit, Declan Rice drops back, and he can go in that position as well.

‘So I think that would be a great signing and he’s still so young.’

Elsewhere, Arsenal are keen to sign another striker and still hold out hope of signing Julian Alvarez after he declared his desire to leave Atletico Madrid.

The club are also looking to add depth on the winger, with a deal for Leicester City youngster Jeremy Monga close to being agreed.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arrow MORE: Marcus Rashford stance on Tottenham transfer revealed as Spurs target £40m Manchester United forward

Arrow MORE: Arsenal receive £17m transfer offer after Mikel Arteta agrees to sell title winner

Arrow MORE: Atletico Madrid propose £64m Arsenal star in swap deal for Julian Alvarez

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali favours a move to Arsenal this summer after being the subject of a £75m offer from north London rivals Tottenham.

Spurs submitted their first bid for Tonali last week but were instantly knocked back by Newcastle, who want at least £85m for the Italy international.

Tonali has developed into one of the best midfielders in the Premier League since his £55m move from AC Milan in 2023, helping Eddie Howe’s side win the Carabao Cup and qualify for the Champions League.

The 26-year-old received a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations shortly after his arrival at St James’ Park but has put that misdemeanour behind him over the past two seasons.

A number of Premier League clubs have expressed interest in signing Tonali, with Arsenal heavily linked with a move towards the end of the January transfer window.

The Gunners revived their interest in Tonali ahead of the summer transfer window as they look to bolster Mikel Arteta’s title-winning squad.

Tottenham appear to be leading the race to sign the Italian after approaching Newcastle with an official bid, and the Daily Mail insist he is ‘open’ to joining Spurs despite their recent struggles which almost saw them relegated to the Championship.

However, it is claimed Tonali’s preference would still be to join the Premier League champions should Arsenal firm up their interest.

While Arteta is believed to be an admirer of Tonali, Arsenal are currently prioritising a deal for England World Cup star Morgan Rogers, while they want a new striker to arrive at the Emirates Stadium.

Manchester United were also linked with a move for Tonali but are looking elsewhere for midfield reinforcements after discovering Newcastle’s steep demands.

Regardless of his next destination, it appears to be just a matter of time before Tonali leaves St James’ Park, with Newcastle interested in signing Netherlands international Kees Smit as his replacement.

Manchester City are also admirers of Tonali but are currently weighing up a British record deal for Nottingham Forest’s England star Elliot Anderson.

Ex-England midfielder Jermaine Jenas has backed Arsenal’s pursuit of Tonali, insisting he would be a huge upgrade on current midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

‘I think Sandro Tonali is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, in my opinion,’ Jenas told 10bet. ‘He had his misdemeanour, came back, and I thought his attitude from that exact point onward has been brilliant.

‘He’s a dictator of a game; he sets the pace and sets the tone every time he plays. He did the same when he was at AC Milan.

‘When I look at that Arsenal midfield, I was never fully convinced by Martin Zubimendi, if I’m honest with you. I think he’s a decent, solid player, but Tonali would definitely be a level up in that midfield alongside Declan Rice.

‘Though I am a bit surprised that Arsenal’s focus isn’t more forward-thinking than that. I don’t think their midfield is terrible – you’ve got young Myles Lewis-Skelly who has the ability to step in there as well.

‘So Tonali is a great player, and it would be a good move, but I don’t think it’s exactly what they desperately need. I still think they need a proper, out-and-out striker and a specialist on that left wing.’

Meanwhile, Premier League legend Jaap Stam has named Tonali as one of the two midfielders Manchester United should be looking to sign.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arrow MORE: Thomas Tuchel is already sounding like Mikel Arteta – expect England changes against Ghana

Arrow MORE: Arsenal target Julian Alvarez drops transfer bombshell at World Cup

Arrow MORE: Aston Villa take new stance on Arsenal and Chelsea target Morgan Rogers

Arsenal hold the upper-hand over Tottenham in the race to sign Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali.

The Magpies appear ready to reluctantly let the Italy international depart during the summer transfer window.

Eddie Howe stuck by the former AC Milan skipper during his ban for gambling offences and has helped the 26-year-old establish a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most complete midfielders.

Newcastle have already dismissed an opening offer of £75million from Tottenham whose manager, Roberto De Zerbi, is keen to link up with his compatriot.

Spurs are expected to return with a second bid for Tonali as Arsenal’s north London rivals attempt to get their transfer business done early, and avoid repeated the mistakes that have led to consecutive 17th placed finishes.

Deals for Marcos Senesi. Jan Paul van Hecke and Savinho are at varying stages of completion, but finding a breakthrough in negotiations over Tonali is likely to prove more problematic.

Newcastle are understood to have demanded £85m for a player who cost them £55m when he moved to St James’ Park nearly three years ago.

Manchester City are watching developments but they are currently preoccupied with finalising a deal for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson as well as ironing out Rodri’s future.

According to the Daily Mail, meanwhile, Tonali’s preference is to join Arsenal who could enter the running once a fee has been agreed between Newcastle and Spurs.

Arsenal were offered the chance to sign Tonali by his representatives on the last day of the January window, but there wasn’t enough time to finalise a deal.

After winning the title last season, Arsenal are ready to go big in the market again and are looking at reshaping their midfield and forward line.

Christian Norgaard is likely to depart, while Mikel Arteta is prepared to sanction the departure of Martin Odegaard, should a suitable offer be received.

Newcastle, for their part, are already making plans for Tonali’s departure and have identified his potential replacement.

Howe’s recruitment staff have been working through a number of options to strengthen their midfield and AZ Alkmaar’s Smit is one they admire greatly.

Competition has been fierce for the 20-year-old but, after Smit missed out on a place in Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands World Cup squad, Newcastle hope they can tempt him with the prospect of regular first-team football.

Smit has interest from all of Europe’s top clubs and would be valued over £60m.

Arrow MORE: Jamie Carragher urges Thomas Tuchel to drop England star from World Cup team

Arrow MORE: Man Utd and Chelsea in talks to sign Real Madrid star as Jose Mourinho sanctions transfer

Arrow MORE: Cesc Fabregas eyes ambitious transfer move for Chelsea star

Sweden World Cup star Lucas Bergvall has informed Tottenham of his desire to leave the Premier League club this summer, according to reports.

Spurs beat a number of European clubs, including Barcelona, to sign Bergvall from Swedish outfit Djurgardens in 2024.

The 20-year-old made 45 appearances across his first season in north London but saw his game-time reduce last term.

New Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi favoured a midfield of Rodrigo Bentancur, Joao Palhinha and Conor Gallagher after he took over towards the end of the season, often leaving Bergvall on the bench.

It is possible that Bergvall would face even more competition at Spurs next season as De Zerbi has sanctioned moves for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali and West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes.

Tottenham’s interest in Tonali is more advanced, with an opening offer worth £75m rejected by Newcastle, who are holding out for at least £85m.

Bergvall’s focus is currently on Sweden’s World Cup campaign, having featured from the bench in their opening two group games – a 5-1 win over Tunisia and a 5-1 defeat to Netherlands.

But the midfielder also has one one on his future and has informed Spurs that he wants to leave this summer to seek a new challenge elsewhere.

The Athletic say Tottenham have been made aware of his desire to be sold after he attracted interest from Chelsea and Aston Villa during the January transfer window.

Spurs rebuffed approaches from their Premier League rivals earlier in the year but would be more receptive to talks given Bergvall’s stance.

It is not clear whether Chelsea or Villa could revive their interest but it is claimed suitors both domestically and abroad are ‘alert’ to the situation.

Chelsea are expected to bring in several new signings this summer as Xabi Alonso prepares to take over at Stamford Bridge.

Bergvall became Sweden’s youngest World Cup player when he came on in his nation’s opening group game against Tunisia.

Sweden, managed by ex-Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter, face highly-rated Japan in their final Group F game on Friday.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arrow MORE: Arsenal in line for windfall as former defender linked with big move

Arrow MORE: Jaap Stam tells Manchester United to sign £70m star after Ederson transfer

Arrow MORE: Jermaine Jenas urges Arsenal to sign £85m star and Marcus Rashford from Man Utd

Tottenham have submitted a £75 million bid to Newcastle United for Sandro Tonali, according to reports.

Spurs stepped up their efforts to sign Tonali earlier this week, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City also keen on a deal for the Italy international.

An approach to Tonali’s representatives had been made by Spurs to discuss a possible move to Roberto De Zerbi’s side this summer, however, Newcastle had not been approached.

According to Sky Sport Italy, Spurs have now begun negotiations with Newcastle for Tonali and a £75m offer has been launched.

The report claims that Newcastle have responded by asking for £85m, while there is a feeling that an £80m agreement can be reached between the two clubs within the next few days.

De Zerbi has been a huge admirer of Tonali since the start of the midfielder’s career at Brescia and has identified the midfielder as a player who can be a key part of his side at Spurs.

‘I wanted to bring Tonali to Sassuolo, if I’d stayed, after his first year at AC Milan,’ De Zerbi said during his time at Brighton.

‘I said, ‘maybe they’ll fall for it and I’ll bring him here’. I saw him at Brescia and thought he was the player he proved to be.’

Newcastle signed Tonali from AC Milan for £55m three years ago and agreed a new contract with the midfielder during his 10-month gambling ban which keeps him tied to St James’ Park until 2029.

Tonali’s representatives have been informed by Newcastle they they will not sell the 26-year-old unless their asking price is met.

Earlier this week, reports claimed that Newcastle feel that Spurs’ interest in Tonali has been made public in order to flush out an offer from Arsenal, who tried to sign the Italy international in the closing stages of the January transfer window.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arrow MORE: Arsenal enter race to sign £50m midfielder after Manchester United approach

Arrow MORE: How much Man City will pay Chelsea to appoint Enzo Maresca

Arrow MORE: Liverpool send scouts to watch World Cup star as Barcelona transfer bid rejected