Manchester United’s transfer talks for midfielder have been unexpectedly complicated

Man Utd want to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham, but Tottenham have also joined talks to sign the midfielder.

It felt like Manchester United had a free run at Mateus Fernandes until Tottenham came to the table.

While Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal had tracked Fernandes, the jury was out on how concrete their interest was. Tottenham, however, are pushing to secure a quick deal for the midfielder.

That raises the possibility of a bidding war between United and Spurs, which West Ham would love, but the player’s preference will be decisive.

Weeks ago, United received the indication that Fernandes would be open to a summer move to Old Trafford, and that groundwork with the player could tip the scales in their favour in negotiations.

That is what happened with Benjamin Sesko’s transfer last summer. United were confident that Sesko preferred a move to Manchester over Newcastle, which was key in landing the striker from RB Leipzig.

Newcastle offered a slightly higher financial package to RB Leipzig, but Sesko wanted to join United, who essentially won the race for his signature because talks to convince him about his next move had gone well.

United made a compelling pitch to Sesko, and it helped that they had a longstanding interest in him. Sesko’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, had met former United football director John Murtough before he moved from RB Salzburg.

The pitch to Fernandes to sign him ahead of Tottenham will be similar: Come join the bigger club, sign for the side with a better chance of winning silverware, the improving team that just finished third in the Premier League.

Tottenham have finished 17th for successive seasons. The only thing they can offer Fernandes is higher wages, as United no longer pay huge salaries after reducing the wage bill since Ineos gained control of football operations.

If Fernandes ends up at Tottenham because they are offering higher wages, he is not the kind of player United should want to sign. If he is making a decision about his future on footballing reasons, there is only one choice.

United waited for Newcastle to bid for Sesko before making their move for the striker last summer, which was a smart call, as it provided a reference point in negotiations with Leipzig.

Newcastle might have outbid United to a sum that could have been decisive if the Reds had made the first offer. Then United would have been forced to increase their second bid to a sum they weren’t comfortable with.

One source at United recently said: “It’s a long window, let’s see what happens.” United’s decision-makers are prepared to exercise patience in pursuit of their targets to secure a deal on their terms, especially in a World Cup year.

The way United signed Sesko could repeat itself with Fernandes in this transfer window, as it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Spurs submit a formal bid to West Ham, only for United to make a counteroffer around the same sum.

Then, the successful bid will be determined by where the player wants to move. Yes, Tottenham can pay Fernandes more money, but he would be daft to pick a club synonymous with failure over England’s biggest club.

There has been confidence for a while about Fernandes’ willingness to move to United. Tottenham’s interest has slightly complicated the deal, but United will be bullish that they will prevail in the end.