Fernandes: De Zerbi 'was the key' to my £85m Spurs move — SkimNews
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- Matheus Fernandes joined Tottenham for £85m in the summer after impressing at West Ham, with Manchester United keen on a deal but unable to match Spurs' fee
- Roberto De Zerbi was "the key" to Fernandes' decision, personally speaking with the player and his parents during recruitment, with Fernandes telling him on day one of pre-season that he chose Spurs "because one of the biggest parts was you"
- Tottenham have earned just one point from their first three Premier League games this season, failing to win or score, drawing heavy early criticism
- Fernandes, a 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder who recorded three goals and four assists for West Ham last season, believes the squad's quality will raise his own level
- Fernandes' first two English football seasons both ended in relegation, at Southampton and then West Ham, but he said he joined Spurs specifically "to play for winning something"
- Fernandes compared the team's slow start to ketchup — "when you arrive there, it starts spilling" — arguing the squad needs time to learn De Zerbi's tactics
- Spurs host Everton on Saturday Night Football, live on Sky Sports from 5pm with a 5:30pm kick-off
Why it matters: The £85m fee and the fact Manchester United were priced out underscore how aggressively Tottenham backed De Zerbi in the market, but with zero wins and no goals in three league games, that investment has yet to deliver on the pitch. De Zerbi personally recruited Fernandes by speaking with his parents, signaling the Italian is central to the rebuild — and Saturday's Everton match is the first real chance to show the squad's quality can translate into results.
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