Tottenham Tried to Hijack Fernandes. United Insiders Say It’s Not Over Yet.

On Wednesday night, reports started flying that Tottenham had basically bulldozed Manchester United in the race to sign Mateus Fernandes. Sky Sports said Spurs were willing to drop £85 million on the midfielder. United had him pegged closer to £60 million. That’s a real gap.

Then The Sun added a twist — Tottenham is going big on salary offers too, outbidding United on wages. You’d think that would be it. But people close to Old Trafford aren’t panicking.

What United’s camp is saying

A club insider named Sully posted on X that despite all the noise, United still feel confident about landing Fernandes. He wrote: “I’ve seen all the reports and I respect all the journos, but genuinely, all I can say is that United still remain confident on Fernandes & the deal isn’t over yet.” He added a little shrug: “This will frustrate people but all I can do is tell you what I know.”

So the door isn’t shut. Not even close, according to that source.

Earlier this month, United saw themselves as “strong favorites” here. They figured two things would swing it: the chance to play alongside Bruno Fernandes — who’s basically an idol for the 21-year-old — and Champions League football next season. Those are real selling points.

Jorge Mendes is the wild card

But here’s the complication. Fernandes is a Jorge Mendes client. And Mendes runs these negotiations. He’s probably the guy who decides where his player ends up. That’s different from a guy like Matheus Cunha or Benjamin Sesko, who told their agents to steer them only to United. Fernandes hasn’t done that. So if Tottenham meets Mendes’s demands — and West Ham’s price — he could easily stay in London.

United’s front office, led by INEOS, has taken a hard line against getting extorted in transfer fees. That’s a smart stance in theory. But it means nothing if Michael Carrick heads into next season without a legit midfield upgrade. Landing a midfielder who’s won the Champions League (Aurelien Tchouameni is a name that keeps popping up) would be a statement. Real Madrid is supposedly open to offers for him, with Jose Mourinho wanting a different profile in the middle of the park.

For now, the Fernandes saga is very much alive. Tottenham pushed hard. United isn’t flinching. And Jorge Mendes is probably taking calls from both sides right this second.