Spurs Land Fernandes for Record £85m as Newcastle Fume Over Tonali's Departure

Tottenham's summer rebuild has hit another milestone with the confirmation of Mateus Fernandes' arrival from West Ham for a record-shattering £85m. The Portuguese midfielder becomes the fifth addition to De Zerbi's squad as the club looks to avoid a repeat of last season's relegation scare, which they escaped courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Everton on the final day.

Fernandes joins fellow recruits Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka—all arriving on free transfers—and Jan Paul van Hecke, who completed his £52m switch from Brighton. The 21-year-old midfielder expressed his delight at the move, highlighting De Zerbi's influence in his decision-making.

"I'm very excited for this next step," Fernandes told Spurs' official channels. "Spurs is a massive club and the Head Coach was a key part of why I have decided to join. When we spoke, it was very special. We look at football in the same way – going onto the pitch as a strong team, with fight and energy, to try and win every game. I can't wait to get started, to meet the fans, to meet everyone, and give everything for the Club."

Sporting director Johan Lange praised the midfielder's qualities, noting his technical prowess, intelligence, and maturity despite his youth. De Zerbi himself added his endorsement, emphasizing Fernandes' blend of ball-playing ability and the intensity required for Spurs' tactical approach.

However, Fernandes' deal will soon be eclipsed by another record-breaking transaction. Sandro Tonali is currently undergoing his medical in London ahead of joining Spurs from Newcastle in a £100m agreement, which was confirmed by The Athletic's David Ornstein on Wednesday.

The Italian's departure has left Newcastle seething, with former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown revealing the extent of frustration on Tyneside. According to Brown, Tonali played an active role in engineering his exit, with both the player and his representatives actively pursuing alternative clubs.

"Newcastle have every right to be fuming with Tonali and how he has handled this," Brown explained. "He's played a big part in pushing for the move away, it's been no secret that he's been looking at different clubs and his agent has held talks to engineer a move away."

Brown highlighted the perceived ingratitude from Tonali, given Newcastle's unwavering support during his betting scandal. "From Newcastle's perspective, that's not what they would have hoped from a player who they stuck by when that betting scandal came about, when they backed him and supported him," he continued.

The timing adds another layer of frustration for the Magpies. Tonali is departing after just one disappointing campaign that saw Newcastle miss European qualification, joining a Tottenham side in similarly barren circumstances.

"Now a couple of years later he's pushing for a move away after one bad season where they didn't qualify for Europe, to join Tottenham who are in the same situation," Brown noted. "So from Newcastle's point of view, they feel they were owed a bit of loyalty, but the player obviously doesn't feel the same."

Brown acknowledged the broader reality of modern football, where ambition often trumps sentiment. Interest from Arsenal and Manchester City had apparently caught Tonali's attention, though Spurs ultimately secured his signature.

"It's a harsh reality in football, players are always going to want to move to bigger clubs, so the interest in a move to Arsenal or Man City was what seemed to turn his head," Brown said. "Whether joining Tottenham will be the right decision for him, we'll see, but Newcastle will now be forced to find a replacement for a player they didn't want to lose."