Spurs reach verbal agreement to sign their biggest talent since Kane & Son

Can you imagine where Tottenham Hotspur would have finished last season with Harry Kane and Heung-min Son at the helm? It doesn’t even make sense to think about it, does it?

The truth is that since the two left, Spurs’ power has diminished. The Lilywhites are usually men when it comes to trophies but apart from Kane and Son, they are almost men when it comes to relegation.

Thankfully, Roberto De Zerbi arrived and rallied the team from their deep slump. Brighter times are promised now and how the transfer window has played out so far is an indication that they have no desire to finish bottom of the Premier League again.

It looks like a huge amount of money will be spent and honestly, it was needed after a 17th place finish.

Spurs are in serious talks to sign the biggest signing of the summer

The three who arrived have already been confirmed at Spurs. For Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson, they didn’t have to break the bank. In fact, the vault didn’t open as both came with free shipping.

A £52m move for Jan Paul van Hecke has certainly been opened up but the Brighton defender looks unlikely to make a major summer signing.

Indeed, this past week, the whole discussion was dominated by the name of Sandro Tonali. This Italian player has been chased by Manchester City and Arsenal but Spurs seem to be the best at the moment and have already agreed with the player.

However, the £100m fee could be a stumbling block in their pursuit of the Newcastle star.

A cheaper option, if not much, would be West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes. There is a world where Spurs can sign both of them but that seems unlikely.

However, Fernandes’ departure sounds like a possibility and according to recent reports, they are slowly but surely closing in on signing the Portuguese.

According to The Independent, Spurs have held ‘excellent talks’ with West Ham about the 21-year-old and are said to be open to a possible swap.

The London club are battling Manchester United to sign midfielders and are currently ready to do so. It is reported that Spurs have offered a salary increase and the player is determined to join.

Priced at £85m by some reports, the Red Devils are not at all interested in entering a bidding war.

A Spurs insider also suggested a “verbal agreement” had been reached with the Hammers. Everything seems to be heading towards an official transfer.

Why Fernandes could be Spurs’ biggest talent in years

Last summer was a bad window for Spurs, setting the tone for the season to come. Tottenham thought they were signing Morgan Gibbs-White, only for Nottingham Forest to pull out of the deal and thought they were signing Eberechi Eze, only for Arsenal to hijack the move at the 11th hour.

At least, they ended up with Xavi Simons but despite flirting with being a good player, he failed to meet the £52m release clause.

Although football is a team sport, there is a feeling that De Zerbi’s side are lacking in glamour, some star power as they aim to rise up the table and fight for European places again.

Since Kane and Son left, they haven’t had that. Their grief without them is very clear.

In all fairness, it’s not easy to change that level of quality and authority in a team but they have to find a way to do it. However, for someone like Tonali and especially Fernandes, they can eventually replace that star power.

Yes, they are very different players. Kane and Son scored many goals; That is not Fernandes’ role. However, his ability dictates a star role and it is not too high to suggest he will be the team’s best player when he arrives.

Why? However, at the age of 21, he is already one of the best young players in Europe. He is still one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

Last season, when comparing the West Ham youngster to other U21 midfielders in Europe’s top seven leagues, he ranked first for match wins, defenders won and passes in the middle and second for most passes.

This is a player who can take Spurs’ midfield to a whole new level. While Tottenham had many problems in 2025/26, one of the biggest problems was in midfield, especially without James Maddison sitting up top.

In the likes of Conor Gallagher, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr, they had a number of one-size-fits-all players, players who could pass the ball forward between defense and attack very well.

Well, Fernandes is not a one-liner. He is strong in a duel, and knows how to keep his game neat and progressive.

Alongside Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Fernandes is one of the best ‘bottom eaters’ in the top flight. According to the data, the two best players in the Premier League this season are those two. No other player had a higher average carry distance per carry. Confused about what that means? Well, it’s actually how much forward field a player gains by making a play before losing the ball.

West Ham may not produce goalscorers like Kane or Son but he is someone who will undoubtedly take the game by the scruff of the neck. He is a player the game will run to him seamlessly. He will undoubtedly be their best player in a good few years.