Tottenham's 'extraordinary plan' to beat Man Utd for Mateus Fernandes revealed

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly devised an extraordinary plan to beat Manchester United in the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.

After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, Spurs have wasted little time strengthening their squad, already adding Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Both Tottenham and Man Utd are looking to reinforce their midfield and could go head-to-head for Fernandes, who is expected to leave West Ham following the club's relegation.

Tottenham transfer plans to beat Man Utd for Mateus Fernandes

According to TeamTalk, Spurs are prepared to offer Fernandes a more lucrative salary than Man Utd in an attempt to lure him to North London, although the Red Devils can offer Champions League football.

Tottenham are reportedly in talks to sign the Portuguese midfielder and are planning to submit a £75m bid, although that remains £5m short of West Ham's valuation.

Real Madrid have also been linked with the former Southampton midfielder, but reports suggest their priority is Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez.

Mateus Fernandes: Where could he join next?

It has been suggested that Fernandes has opened the door to moves to both Manchester United and Tottenham, leaving the two clubs to battle for his signature.

That means West Ham are expected to prioritise the highest bid, and the Red Devils could yet gain the upper hand by matching the Hammers' £80m asking price.

Fernandes has also reportedly reached a personal agreement with the 20-time Premier League champions, meaning that even if Spurs offer improved financial terms, the player's preference could ultimately prove decisive.

Tottenham's mega transfer window plan

Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Spurs also retain a strong interest in Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, who is valued at around £100m.

However, the transfer expert adds that Tottenham want to sign both Tonali and Fernandes, while Man Utd are currently focused solely on the Portuguese midfielder.

Both clubs are continuing to work behind the scenes to reach an agreement, setting the stage for what could become one of the summer's most intriguing transfer battles.