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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."

Erik Lamela has been registered as a kit man for the upcoming season after Liga MX side CF Monterrey used a legal loophole that allows him to join the coaching staff on matchdays.

The 34-year-old, who played for River Plate, Roma, Spurs, Sevilla and AEK Athens during his 16-year playing career, announced his retirement from professional football in August 2025.

After a decade-long battle with hip pain that eventually had an impact on the way he trained, Lamela decided to hang up his boots before joining Matias Almeyda's coaching staff at former club Sevilla.

This season, he will once again join Almeyda but this time, the Argentine will represent Mexican outfit CF Monterrey.

His role, meanwhile, is set to differ slightly. Lamela doesn't yet have the necessary coaching qualifications to be registered under Article 17.1 of Liga MX statutes, so the club have found a workaround to make sure he can be on the bench during games.

As he trains to obtain his UEFA Pro license, Lamela has been named as a kit man/equipment manager.

Erik Lamela opens up about how injury impacted his career for more than a decade

Lamela endured hip pain for large parts of his career, with cartilage wear and advanced osteoarthritis forcing him to retire in his early 30's.

"My first pains started when I was 22, when I started to feel discomfort," he said last year. "At 25, I ended up having surgery because I couldn't compete due to the pain. The operation went well and I kept playing.

"But from then on, everything was different for me because it's like they replaced my hip. I've never had the same hip I had before."

Speaking in an interview with TyC Sports, Lamela admitted he had to overcome pain to get through every match. "I retired due to a physical issue that had been bothering me for a long time," he said.

"I wanted to finish my career in the best possible way, enjoying it as much as possible despite this problem, which was quite difficult. This problem was even more serious because I had suffered from cartilage wear and advanced osteoarthritis recently.

"These last few years were much more serious in the sense that my hip was increasingly affected and I could no longer train like before."

He added: "That's why I had to modify the way I trained because if I trained during the week, I wouldn't play the game, because my hip couldn't maintain certain performance levels during the week."

Chelsea fans think a star player will lose his place in the starting XI after a new signing impressed supporters during the Blues’ Sydney Super Cup match against Tottenham.

The London rivals faced off in front of 80,000 fans at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday (August 1), with Roberto De Zerbi’s side running out 2-1 winners.

Spurs’ summer recruits Andrew Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali all started the match, while Chelsea’s star names Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Wesley Fofana were given the nod from the start by Xabi Alonso.

Tonali, who completed a £100 million move from Newcastle United earlier this summer, opened the scoring in the 17th minute, registering his first goal for the Lilywhites before Chelsea winger Estevao levelled things with a close-range header four minutes later.

Both head coaches made changes at half-time, with Kevin Danso and Richarlison replacing Van Hecke and Dominic Solanke, while Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli replaced Romeo Lavia for Chelsea.

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But Danso’s evening lasted just three minutes as he was sent off for pulling down Pedro and, in doing so, denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

After several changes later in the match, Richarlison popped up with the winner, tapping home Jamie Donley’s rebound in second-half stoppage time.

Chelsea fans praise new signing in Spurs defeat

Despite being on the wrong end of the result, Chelsea right-back Marco Palestra received huge plaudits on social media, with some fans even suggesting he could be a ready-made replacement for Reece James if he continues to perform at the level he showed in Sydney.

The Italian also formed a promising partnership with Estevao, which one fan described as "nuts".

Another fan said: "Marco Palestra is going to change our lives down that right-hand side at Chelsea. I can see why other fans were so bothered about him; he's going to be a weapon."

A second wrote: "Marco Palestra, take a bow. What a masterclass against Spurs. Composed, fearless, and dominant from start to finish. Chelsea really hit the belly with this signing."

While a third commented: "Marco Palestra maturing in the Premier League will become one of the best RWB in the league. Estevao would love to play with him."

A fourth added: "Hear me out everyone and bookmark this... PALESTRA WILL BENCH REECE JAMES... YES, I said it! Physically top notch, speed, crossing, etc. Palestra is the one."

Palestra was Alonso’s first signing as Chelsea boss, with the Italian arriving from Atalanta for £47 million and penning a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea will now travel to Hong Kong, where they face Italian giants Juventus on August 5 before taking on AC Milan in Jakarta on August 8 and Johor Darul Ta'zim in Johor the following day.

Alonso’s side round off their pre-season at Stamford Bridge against Spain’s Real Sociedad on August 15 before their Premier League opener away at Fulham on August 24.

Spurs have reportedly agreed a £34 million deal to sell Cristian Romero to a Champions League club.

Romero, 28, has been heavily linked with a potential departure all summer, with the Argentina international initially linked with La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

The centre-back, who is currently Spurs' club captain, made it clear that he wanted to leave earlier in the window, with it widely reported that Barcelona were also keen on the player.

However, it has now been reported that Spurs have agreed to sell Romero to Serie A champions Inter, with the Italian giants already announcing the signing of former Manchester City centre-back John Stones earlier this week.

ESPN Argentina claim Spurs have reached a verbal agreement with Inter, although Romero has yet to green-light the move, with personal terms yet to be agreed.

Despite Romero's likely exit, Spurs do have cover in the centre of defence, having already signed Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton and Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth, with both likely to start under Roberto De Zerbi.

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The north Londoners have added midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes to their ranks, with experienced left-back Andrew Robertson also arriving after his Liverpool contract expired at the end of last season.

Martin Dúbravka has also joined Spurs as a free agent after his Burnley contract expired and will likely provide back-up to Guglielmo Vicario and Antonín Kinský.

De Zerbi respects Romero's wishes

Speaking earlier this week, De Zerbi claimed he would allow Romero to leave if he wanted to move on this summer.

“At the beginning of my time, in April, I had, I don’t know, one million individual meetings,” De Zerbi said.

“And [the players] told me what their idea was. I said: ‘Yes, help me to stay up, and then I’ll help you to leave’. If you don’t help me to stay up, you stay underwater with me!

“But Romero, with me, was unbelievable. Top… in his behaviour, his respect. He suffered when he did not play the last game. It is not true that he wanted to leave for Argentina to prepare for their World Cup. It’s not true.

“After the semi-final [against England], we texted a message, but I never called him to convince him to stay. I respected what he told me. Like for Vicario, like for every player.

“Romero, as a player, is one of the best centre-backs in the world, but in the end I said I want to respect the will of the players.”

Spurs are currently in Australia on their pre-season tour and face Chelsea on August 1, having already fulfilled fixtures against MK Dons, Auckland and Sydney FC.

De Zerbi’s side face Getafe in a behind-closed-doors clash on August 8 before back-to-back friendlies against Hoffenheim on August 15 and 16, ahead of their Premier League opener away at Brentford on August 22.

Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi was left fuming after defender Kevin Danso was sent off just three minutes after being substituted on in the Sydney Super Cup against Chelsea.

The London clubs faced off at the Accor Stadium on Saturday (August 1), with Xabi Alonso fielding several first-team players such as Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Wesley Fofana, as well as a combination of youngsters, including new right-back Marco Palestra.

Meanwhile, De Zerbi named a strong starting XI, with summer recruits Andrew Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali starting the friendly.

And it was the Italian who opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a smart strike from outside the penalty area to register his first goal since completing a £100 million move from Newcastle United.

But it took just four minutes for Chelsea to level things, with Estevao nodding past Antonín Kinský at the back post.

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At half-time, De Zerbi and Alonso made changes. Danso and Richarlison replaced Van Hecke and Solanke, while Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli replaced Romeo Lavia for Chelsea.

However, Danso’s evening lasted just three minutes as he was sent off for a challenge on Pedro.

The 27-year-old Austria international failed to control the ball as the Brazilian sprinted past him, with the defender dragging the forward down before receiving his marching orders.

Footage from Paramount+ Australia quickly cut to De Zerbi, who sat back in his seat, appearing annoyed by his player’s mistake.

Fans were quick to react to Danso's red card on social media.

One said: "RED CARD FOR SPURS! Danso fouls Joao Pedro as the last man. It is never a friendly between Chelsea and Spurs."

Another added: “I know Danso has to be sent off by the letter of the law, but it's a pre-season friendly and neither side really benefit from it in terms of their preparations. Spurs maybe get some extra fitness, but the game was being played at a decent tempo before, which was helpful all round.”

A third claimed: “Danso went from bad to worse. Came on as a substitute and within three minutes he was walking back to the dressing room.”

While a fourth commented: “I mean, just because it’s a friendly doesn’t mean the rules don’t apply. That was a stonewall red for Danso…”

Alonso made seven more changes with 10 minutes to go, with Josh Acheampong, Liam Delap, Reggie Walsh, Omari Kellyman, Tosin Adarabioyo, Reggie Watson and Mamadou Sarr introduced, while Levi Colwill, Palestra, Dario Essugo, Palmer, Jamie Gittens, Fofana and Pedro were withdrawn.

De Zerbi also made two further changes, with Kota Takai and Jamie Donley replacing Ben Davies and Tonali.

Richarlison's stoppage-time strike secured Spurs' 2-1 win with almost the last kick of the game, with the Brazilian taking advantage of a rebound after Donley’s shot hit the post.

Next up, De Zerbi’s side face Getafe in a behind-closed-doors clash on August 8 before back-to-back friendlies against Hoffenheim on August 15 and 16, ahead of their Premier League opener away at Brentford on August 22.

Roberto De Zerbi has handed one Tottenham player an ultimatum after their clash against Sydney FC on Wednesday.

Spurs are now deep into their pre-season preparations for the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.

Following victories over MK Dons and Auckland, De Zerbi's men continued their Australia tour with a 1-1 draw against Sydney FC.

Mathys Tel scored the only goal of the game for Spurs before they prevailed 4-2 on penalties ahead of their eye-catching showdown with Chelsea on August 1.

It's been a huge summer so far at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having armed De Zerbi with a war chest of funds to assemble a squad that should be challenging for Europe after consecutive 17th-place finishes.

Tottenham have spent an eye-watering £237million on new signings, notably breaking their transfer record twice with deals for Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, as well as capturing Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka and Andy Robertson.

Spurs are expected to continue being active in the window, too, with Savinho handing in a transfer request at Manchester City as he aims to force through a move to north London.

But while incomings have dominated the headlines at Tottenham, several players have exited the club, and more could follow, including talented youngster Lucas Bergvall.

The 20-year-old made it clear that he wanted to leave the club in June, and according to reports, Spurs have rejected offers from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest for the midfielder.

Bergvall, who made four appearances for Sweden at the World Cup, only started 11 times in the Premier League last term and wants to play regular first-team football.

De Zerbi cannot promise the precocious talent a starting place in his engine room, especially with the breadth of options at his disposal, none more so than new signings Fernandes and Tonali.

Roberto De Zerbi won't stand in the way of Lucas Bergvall leaving

Bergvall started alongside Archie Gray in Tottenham's draw against Sydney on Wednesday, but his selection isn't an indicator of what is to come.

The Swede has been pushed firmly down the pecking order this summer, reinforced by De Zerbi's comments after the match.

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Although the Italian wants him to stay, he cannot promise him a starting place and won't stand in his way if he chooses to leave.

"I'm always being very clear with him and with you. I would like that he stays with us," De Zerbi said.

"I think he's potentially a top, top, top player. But then I don't want to convince anyone to stay. Tottenham is already, without me, a top club and we are not to convince anyone to stay.

"He can find the space if he stays with us. The competition within the players will be very strong because we are Tottenham and we have to build a strong squad - not just 11 players - especially considering a lot of injuries we suffered in the last two, three seasons."

De Zerbi risks Bergvall's development stagnating if he stays, and therefore, with his heart set on playing regular first-team football, it's likely he could depart this summer.

It is widely reported that a £60m offer could prise him away, a steep asking price for someone with just 50 Premier League appearances under his belt.

A well-respected journalist has appeared to debunk a fan conspiracy about summer signing Mateus Fernandes.

Fernandes arrived from West Ham United for a fee of £85 million earlier in the summer after impressing at the Hammers despite their Premier League relegation last term.

The 22-year-old has since impressed Tottenham fans in friendlies against MK Dons, in which he scored a stunning volley, and Auckland in New Zealand.

However, concerns have grown among Spurs fans in recent days after footage of the midfielder sitting out training went viral, causing some to suggest he had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

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One said: “Ah man, someone is claiming Mateus Fernandes has done his ACL. Spurs or not, I really hope he hasn’t. That would be harsh on such a talent.”

Another added: “Very unfortunate that Mateus Fernandes picked up an ACL injury, per sources. Spurs will probably get relegated now as he is their best midfielder by a country mile.”

A third claimed: “So because Fernandes watched a training session he’s torn his ACL? This place is a f**king circus….”

While a fourth commented: “Why am I seeing rumours of Mateus Fernandes tearing his ACL on my timeline?”

Journalist debunks Fernandes theory

But rest assured, Football London journalist Alasdair Gold has cleared up the conspiracy theory.

Gold reports that Fernandes is ‘unlikely’ to feature in Spurs’ pre-season friendly against Sydney FC on Wednesday (July 29).

“The midfielder is not injured,” he wrote.

“Instead, it is because head coach Roberto De Zerbi has been pushing the players hard in training, especially those who returned earlier to pre-season, and various players’ time in sessions and matches is being monitored and managed based on a variety of factors such as fatigue, little niggles, illness or even jet lag.

“Various players have so far been rested from matches and training sessions with that in mind over the opening weeks of pre-season.

“De Zerbi’s style of football is an all-action, draining one, and the players’ fitness is being pushed this summer to deal with that ahead of the season, with the arrival of the Italian’s long-time strength and conditioning coach Agostino Tibaudi to join another former colleague, first-team fitness coach Marcattilio Marcattilii, to ensure the team is ready for what is to come.”

De Zerbi’s side continue their pre-season against Chelsea on August 1 before taking on La Liga side Getafe in a behind-closed-doors game on August 8.

The Lilywhites round off their pre-season with back-to-back friendlies against Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on August 15 and 16.

Spurs get their Premier League campaign underway away at Brentford on August 22.

Tottenham Hotspur have been making significant moves in the transfer market this summer as they look to give Roberto De Zerbi the tools to return the club to the upper end of the Premier League and fight for European football.

The Italian manager managed to maintain Spurs’ top-flight status on the final day of last season, managing to finish 17th after being involved in a relegation battle with West Ham for the final weeks of the campaign.

Since they narrowly avoided relegation, they have brought in Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, Mateus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali to ensure they are not in that situation again this campaign.

Two of the signings, Van Hecke and Senesi, are centre backs which may put Spurs in a position to allow their captain, Cristian Romero, to leave White Hart Lane; however, they could not have envisaged that he may depart for potentially one of their major rivals.

Reports from Italy are suggesting Arsenal and Chelsea are considering a shock move for the Argentina international.

Inter Milan had been linked to the club previously, with Spurs thought to be asking for €50 million (£42m).

It is believed Inter would be keen on a loan with an obligation to buy deal, similar to the one that took Manuel Akanji to Italy from Manchester City last year, hoping to pay €25 million for his services, half of what Spurs are currently asking.

Corriere dello Sport reports that Romero would be open to a return to Italy after departing Atalanta four years ago to join Spurs, with Inter being the preferred destination.

However, the report has also suggested Arsenal and Chelsea could provide the biggest risk to the Serie A champions sealing the signing of the Spurs captain.

While a move across London being greenlit by Spurs to either of these rivals would seem strange, it would be a surprise if Chelsea were to add Romero to the squad as they are on the brink of signing Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.

Arsenal, on the other hand, need a centre back as William Saliba is set to miss the start of the season due to a back problem, and so they may be in the market to cover this absence.

Whether Spurs would even contemplate selling their captain and one of their top performers to their north London rivals, though, is an entirely different matter.

Spurs have accepted the departure of one of their star players this summer following on from the World Cup, reports claim.

Under new manager Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs have wasted no time splashing the cash this summer as they look to climb up the league table after avoiding relegation on the final day with a win over Everton.

The North London side have been the big spenders in the Premier League, dropping £237 million on a trio of signings in Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Spurs have also dipped into the free agency market, drafting in Andy Robertson, Marco Senesi and Martin Dubravka.

Naturally there will be outgoings for Spurs and it's reported that the club accept that captain Cristian Romero will move on.

Sportitalia, quoted by FC Inter 1908, say that Romero's exit has been confirmed and that the Argentina international has attracted strong interest from Inter Milan.

The Nerazzurri had contact with Spurs over England defender Djed Spence but then Romero's name came up and a potential deal was proposed for the 28-year-old.

Inter are now exploring a transfer and see Romero as a top defensive target after both Stefan de Vrij and Francesco Acerbi moved on.

It has been claimed that the club still see his asking price as too high but they are hopeful of bringing it down during negotiations and encouragingly, Romero is keen to return to Serie A.

He joined Spurs from Atalanta, initially on a loan deal on the same day he was sold by Juventus.

The World Cup winner has made 156 appearances in all competitions and helped the club end their trophy drought by winning the Europa League in 2025.

Roberto De Zerbi drops exciting Spurs transfer update

Spurs already have two brand new Premier League-proven centre backs in the building in Van Hecke and Senesi and they want to keep Micky van de Ven by opening fresh contract talks.

But further additions are planned by Spurs, with De Zerbi telling club media that the transfer market has not finished for his team.

In the forward department, they have also been linked with Manchester City's Savinho and Bournemouth wonderkid Eli Junior Kroupi.

"I feel very good because we are working well," he said.

"I think we are building a very good team, with some very important new players, and we are starting the project in another part of the history of the club.

"I spent a lot of time [understanding the club] before joining in April and I knew very well the ideas of the owner of the club and the plan was clear before the Everton game.

"Now we are inside (the project), we are excited with the idea to build a very strong team. Now we have to finish as it is not finished yet, our transfer market, in and out, but at the moment I am very happy, very proud and very positive.

"To build a soul, to build a new team with the qualities for sure but with soul, with passion, with all the values we have."

Harry Kane has enjoyed a successful period at Bayern Munich since taking the decision to leave Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023, lifting several pieces of major silverware since joining the German side.

While the England captain has appeared to enjoy life in the Bundesliga, lifting the title on two occasions, there has always been a question about whether he may return to Spurs as his career starts to near the end.

There is no suggestion that the three-time Bundesliga Golden Boot winner is considering hanging up his boots anytime soon; the striker will be 33 at the start of this upcoming season.

It had long been believed by many English football fans that Kane would make a return to Spurs and the Premier League to claim the competition’s top-scoring record off Alan Shearer.

The former Newcastle star netted on 260 occasions in the Premier League, while Kane has netted 213 goals, leading many to think he may need two or three seasons to break the record.

However, it appears like Shearer may be breathing a sigh of relief if reports are to be believed from Christian Falk in CF Bayern, as he denied that the English striker would make the move to Tottenham or Real Madrid this summe.

He said: “As for reported interest from Real Madrid and Tottenham… Los Blancos have to make a new plan, which could take a year, perhaps even two. Perhaps they’ll be good enough next year under new manager José Mourinho, but they don’t know.

“At Bayern Munich, Harry Kane knows there’s a chance. Sorry, Tottenham. Harry wants to win the Champions League now. He can’t wait for Spurs to build towards something. He wants the big title.”

According to the report, it is believed that he is more likely to sign a contract extension with the German champions.

The main reason behind this is due to their performance and the fact the club are building under Vincent Kompany, with the ultimate goal of lifting the Champions League appearing possible within the next season or two.

Falk said: “Bayern Munich will give Harry Kane some holiday time after England’s World Cup exit. Of course, now there will be extra time to take advantage of to start contract talks, and I hope this will happen soon, as we really want to keep Harry in the Bundesliga.

“What I’ve heard about the striker’s contract situation comes directly from the club, as Harry blocked any questions about his contract while he was concentrating fully on the Three Lions’ World Cup campaign.

“Now, he can focus on Bayern Munich again. Perhaps this showed him what he has at Bayern Munich. He will win titles in Bavaria, but of course he wants to win the Champions League—that's the next big title he can win. And, crucially, it’s one he’s yet to win! Kane knows he has a big chance to win it if he stays with Bayern.”