LONDON (AP) 鈥� Tottenham signed Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for a reported club-record fee of 85 million pounds ($113 million) on Thursday.
The 21-year-old Fernandes, who wasn’t picked to play at the World Cup, was part of the West Ham team relegated on the final day of last season thanks to a last-day win by Tottenham.
Now he has moved across London to Spurs, who are on a recruitment drive this summer under recently-hired manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Center backs and Marco Senesi have already joined, along with former Liverpool left back Andy Robertson, while sections of the British media have also reported that Tottenham has reached an agreement to sign Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle.
Fernandes, who was only at West Ham for one season after joining from Southampton, said De Zerbi 鈥渨as a key part of why I have decided to join.鈥�
鈥淲hen we spoke, it was very special,” said Fernandes, whose one Portugal appearance was as a late substitute in a 2-0 win over the United States in April. “We look at football in the same way 鈥� going onto the pitch as a strong team, with fight and energy, to try and win every game.”
Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange described Fernandes as 鈥渁 player with outstanding technical ability, intelligence and maturity.鈥�
鈥淎nd even at a young age,鈥� Lange said, 鈥�(he) has shown he can perform consistently in demanding, high-pressure environments.鈥�
Tottenham is looking to rebound from the humiliation of a second straight 17th-place finish in the 20-team Premier League, having been in the top division since the late 1970s.
The team will not be playing in Europe next season.
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