Mateus Fernandes: Why Man United are convinced they dodged an £85m bullet

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The Peoples Person

15 July 2026

Once it became clear that Elliot Anderson favoured a move to the Etihad over Old Trafford,

Manchester United

quickly switched their attention to

Mateus Fernandes

Fernandes looked every inch a dream signing. His elite mobility, tackle resistance, and ball-carrying ability had fans imagining a revitalised United engine room.

With West Ham relegated and the 21-year-old far too good to go down with them, many believed a raid was inevitable. Yet the Hammers spotted their chance. Determined to cash in on one of their brightest talents, they stood firm.

They declared Fernandes would only leave on their terms:

pay £85 million plus

, and he was yours.

United knew what it would take, but they were not convinced about splashing that cash. Hoping instead to negotiate a fairer fee, they waited.

As United looked ahead to talks, Tottenham Hotspur forced their way into the conversation. They bullishly won the race,

meeting West Ham’s demands with an £85 million bid

Reports suggest United were offered the chance to match that figure but declined. So why did they hold back?

ESPN’s Rob Dawson

explains:

“During talks, United never got a clear indication that Old Trafford was Fernandes’ preference. It meant that when the time came to decide whether to meet West Ham United’s demands, there were doubts about whether Fernandes was fully committed to the move.”

He continues: “For Berrada and Wilcox, it was an attitude at odds with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha last summer. Despite interest from a host of other clubs (some in the Champions League), both players made it clear they only wanted to join United.

“The recruitment team believe it was a key reason why Mbeumo and Cunha were able to fit in so quickly.”

Ultimately, missing out on

Fernandes

felt like dodging a bullet. As the report then clarified: “There are staff at the club who still think £73 million-winger Jadon Sancho struggled, in part, because he was never fully sure about swapping Borussia Dortmund for United in 2021.”

From that perspective, United’s refusal to hijack Spurs’ move for their dream target looks bold but justified. Fernandes is now a Tottenham player, and while disappointing given the technical lift he might have offered, United were right not to commit to someone unconvinced about the project.

Instead, INEOS have secured

Andrey Santos

and

Youri Tielemans

, players who clearly believe in the cause. Alongside one brilliant defensive midfielder, they could help United build the best engine room in the Premier League, if not Europe.

Featured image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images

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