Manchester United offered around £85 million for West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes but it included several add-ons and a much lower initial fee, according to The Times.
Tottenham Hotspur were willing to pay the £85m up front and are now set to pip the Red Devils to his services.
Man United reportedly offered £70m up front for Fernandes, with the other £15m in add-ons.
They were given the chance to match Spurs’ bid but were not keen on doing so and have moved on.
The Portuguese 21-year-old was open to joining either club and never had a preference. However, Tottenham have won the race.
Man United have plenty of options on their radar in the position, but may need to splash the cash to sign top players given the current situation of the transfer market.
Manchester City’s £116m deal for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson has changed the trajectory of the transfer market.
Most clubs are now using the fee to determine the new valuation of their players.
Manuel Ugarte’s injury means Man United need to sign two midfielders alongside Atalanta’s Ederson.
They may need to look for hidden gems across Europe and some of the less popular players currently proving themselves at the World Cup.
