Mateus Fernandes has spoken for the first time after completing his club-record move to Tottenham Hotspur, outlining his ambitions following the £85 million switch from West Ham United.
With Mateus Fernandes arriving as Tottenham Hotspur’s fifth signing of the summer transfer window, Spurs’ summer expenditure has now risen to £137 million.
That comes after Tottenham made Fernandes their record signing in an £85 million deal, having already signed Jan Paul van Hecke for £52 million.
That still leaves Spurs some way short of surpassing the £170.6 million they spent during last summer’s transfer window, when they completed six signings.
Since confirmation of his move, many Tottenham fans have expressed their excitement over the club’s transfer business, and they can now finally hear from their latest acquisition.
Mateus Fernandes shares Tottenham ambitions after record transfer
Fernandes has become just the ninth Portuguese player to join Tottenham, with the last Portuguese signing arriving last season in the form of Joao Palhinha.
The Bayern Munich midfielder became something of a cult hero after playing a vital role in Spurs’ fight for Premier League survival.
Tottenham will certainly be hoping for a very different battle this season, and so will Fernandes, who has now opened up about his ambitions as a Spurs player.
The 21-year-old has made it clear that he hopes to compete for silverware after making the move from East to North London.
Speaking to Tottenham’s official website, he said: “I’m very excited for this next step. Spurs is a massive club and the Head Coach was a key part of why I have decided to join.
“When we spoke, it was very special. We look at football in the same way – going onto the pitch as a strong team, with fight and energy, to try and win every game. I can’t wait to get started, to meet the fans, to meet everyone, and give everything for the Club.”
Spurs are getting one of the Premier League’s best midfielders
Spurs are getting a player who is already Premier League-proven and should be able to hit the ground running given Fernandes’ experience in the division.
The 21-year-old has enjoyed spells in the Premier League with Southampton and West Ham United and, as a result, knows the league very well.
Fernandes’ underlying metrics from last season suggest he is capable of improving several aspects of Tottenham’s midfield when compared to the club’s current options.
| Player | Duel % Rank | Possession Won Rank | Progressive Carries Rank | Forward Passes Rank | Forward Pass % Rank | Key Passes Rank | Progressive Passes Rank | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mateus Fernandes | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 3,302 |
| João Palhinha | 2nd | 1st | 7th | 2nd | 5th | 7th | 2nd | 2,486 |
| Lucas Bergvall | 7th | 7th | 1st | 7th | 7th | 5th | 7th | 1,085 |
| Archie Gray | 6th | 6th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 1,673 |
| Conor Gallagher | 5th | 5th | 5th | 5th | 3rd | 1st | 4th | 1,328 |
| Pape Matar Sarr | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 6th | 1st | 4th | 5th | 1,613 |
| Rodrigo Bentancur | 3rd | 4th | 6th | 3rd | 6th | 6th | 6th | 2,077 |
Roberto De Zerbi will now be looking to get to work with the 21-year-old as Spurs begin preparations for next season.