There is a peculiar rhythm to the summer transfer window, one that rewards patience and punishes panic. And just when it seemed the narrative around M...
There is a peculiar rhythm to the summer transfer window, one that rewards patience and punishes panic. And just when it seemed the narrative around Mateus Fernandes had been written, a rather significant U turn has thrown the whole affair into a delicious state of flux.GoalZaza has learned that Manchester United, long seen as the frontrunners for the £80 million rated West Ham star, are now ready to step away from the negotiating table. The price tag, to put it bluntly, is giving them a nosebleed. Old Trafford's hierarchy have apparently concluded that such a sum for Fernandes, while undoubtedly a fine footballer, represents a risk they are not willing to take in the current climate. Instead, they are understood to be pivoting towards Alex Scott, a move that screams of a club trying to find value in a market that has lost its mind.For Tottenham Hotspur, this is more than just a flicker of light in a dark room. It is a genuine opening. Spurs have long admired Fernandes's ability to operate in the half spaces, his capacity to receive the ball on the half turn and break the lines with a pass that is both incisive and brave. In Ange Postecoglou's system, which demands constant forward momentum and a refusal to settle for safe sideways football, a player of Fernandes's profile would be the perfect engine. The question now is whether Daniel Levy has the stomach to go toe to toe with a London rival. West Ham will not budge easily. They know what they have, and they know the premium that comes with selling to a direct competitor.But here is the rub. If Manchester United are genuinely out, that leaves Spurs as the primary suitor in a one horse race. And in football, there is nothing quite like the scent of a deal that has gone cold for everyone else. The £80 million asking price is steep, no two ways about it. But how often do you get the chance to sign a player who can dictate the tempo of a derby match before he has even turned 24 Tottenham must decide if they are playing the long game or if they are ready to make a statement. The ball, as they say, is in their court. And for once, the red from Manchester has temporarily vacated the penalty area.
