Manchester United believe they still have the upper hand in the race for Mateus Fernandes, despite competition from Tottenham.
The Red Devils have already secured Atalanta’s Ederson as their first midfield acquisition, but they still need to sign another midfielder, or two if they sell Manuel Ugarte.
After effectively giving up on Elliot Anderson, Man Utd turned to Fernandes, identifying him as their top target.
Man United still confident about signing Mateus Fernandes from West Ham
On Saturday, Italian football journalist Matteo Moretto revealed that Spurs have made significant progress in their negotiations with Fernandes, claiming that the two parties are ‘very close’ to finding an agreement on personal terms.
Nevertheless, Carrington insider Sully reveals that United are still optimistic about their chances, believing they remain the frontrunners in the race, as they continue to negotiate a deal with West Ham.
“Manchester United are in ongoing talks with West Ham regarding Mateus Fernandes,” posted the journalist on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
“They are aware of Spurs’ interest & pursuit but firmly believe that they’re the most advanced club with confidence internally.”
Manchester United are in ongoing talks with West Ham regarding Mateus Fernandes. They are aware of Spurs' interest & pursuit but firmly believe that they're the most advanced club with confidence internally. Fernandes' preferred club is United & they still believe thats the case.
— Sully (@SullyTalkz) June 20, 2026
Sully also insists that the young midfielder remains adamant about playing his football at Old Trafford next season, alongside his compatriot and role model, Bruno Fernandes.
“Fernandes’ preferred club is United & they still believe that’s the case.”
Why United remain involved in the race for Fernandes
Whether Moretto’s big update is true or false, MUFC’s chances of signing Fernandes remain alive and kicking.
After all, the Italian journalist spoke about an agreement between the player’s entourage and the North Londoners, but without an accord with West Ham, it remains futile.
Moreover, opening a dialogue with Tottenham could be a manoeuvre to prompt Man Utd to accelerate their attempts on this front.
Therefore, if INEOS are willing to match Spurs’ proposal to the player and strike a deal with West Ham, one would imagine that the 21-year-old would be delighted to sign for the Red Devils.
However, the biggest obstacle remains meeting The Hammers’ £80 million asking price, hence why the club-to-club negotiations might drag for several weeks, or perhaps months, as United will attempt to drive down the transfer fee as much as possible.
Michel is a football journalist based in Beirut who has been passionately following Man United for over 20 years. He is a Law graduate and a member of the Beirut Bar Association. In addition to writing for Utd Report, he is also the Head Writer for The Laziali has been a Featured Writer on other websites including Juve FC, and The Cult of Calcio, and Stretty News.
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