Bruno Fernandes admits Tottenham Hotspur failed in transfer bid

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Manchester United’s January revelation Bruno Fernandes has been discussing his previous transfer talks with Tottenham Hotspur. 

The Red Devils signed the Portuguese midfielder in January from Sporting Lisbon. The deal, as reported by the BBC, was valued at £67.6 million. He has since proved himself a fine signing, scoring three goals and assisting four in his nine games for the club before the lockdown. 

For several months Tottenham were also credited with an interest in Fernandes and for a while it seemed he would be on his way to North London. 

However, Spurs were not prepared to pay the asking price for the midfielder, who had been a sensation in his homeland. 

Now, speaking in an Instagram Live interview (as relayed by Sportskeeda), Fernandes admits that Spurs did not want to pay the asking price Sporting had laid out on the table and that when Manchester United came calling he did not hesitate.

“Tottenham were close to signing me under (Mauricio) Pochettino. Maybe they didn’t believe I was not worth the price tag and Sporting didn’t want to sell me at the time.

“When I knew Manchester United were interested in me, I just wanted to speak to them because they were my dream team in England.”

Tottenham have undoubtedly missed out on a top player in Fernandes, who has transformed United since his arrival in the winter. 

As Sporting’s club president explained to the club’s website in September last year, Tottenham’s offer for Fernandes only amounted to an initial €45 million, and the additional €20 million in add-ons he felt were unattainable. 

Fernandes would have been a perfect replacement for Christian Eriksen and, based on recent form, a significant upgrade on the Danish playmaker. 

But it seems Daniel Levy could not thrash out a deal that sat well with the notoriously difficult negotiators that Sporting are. 

Tottenham’s loss has clearly been Manchester United’s gain.