Tottenham are making significant progress in an effort to hijack Manchester United’s move to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.

Spurs certainly aren’t messing around in the window as they look to build a squad capable of climbing back up towards the top half of the Premier League table.

They are likely to face competition from United for a host of signings, despite the Manchester club competing in the Champions League next season.

Tottenham are showing plenty of ambition in the market, targeting players who are attracting interest from clubs in Europe.

Fernandes is a player attracting plenty of interest in the summer transfer window after West Ham were relegated to the Championship.

Tottenham Make Man Utd Hijack Progress

via Reuters

According to a Tottenham source on X, Spurs are making significant progress on a move to sign West Ham United midfielder Fernandes, looking to hijack Manchester United’s efforts to secure his signature.

Spurs are adamant to secure their priority target ahead of United, and there are expected to be no issues on personal terms.

Reports have claimed that Manchester United are big favourites to sign Fernandes in the summer transfer window, but it appears Tottenham are now making a huge play to bring him to North London.

The Red Devils will have been wary of Spurs making a move with their interest well known, and it’s clear to see that they aren’t messing around this summer.

Tottenham have already signed Jan-Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson, but it appears they’re hoping to get multiple further deals over the line.

Tottenham an Attractive Prospect Under De Zerbi

via Reuters

Although Spurs have massively struggled over the last couple of seasons, finishing 17th in the Premier League twice in a row, there’s no doubt their ambition in the current market will be an attraction to many players.

Tottenham do appear to be headed back in the right direction under Roberto De Zerbi, who managed to save them from relegation last season.

The signings they’ve already made are going to significantly improve their squad, while they still appear to be working on multiple deals alongside that.

Fernandes certainly has a tough decision to make, and it will be interesting to see which club he chooses this summer.

To many, Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer of all time, with his record-breaking performances having contributed to titles such as the Champions League and the World Cup, the biggest prizes in club and international football.

From rewriting the history books at Camp Nou to finally getting his hands on football’s biggest prize in 2022, and even taking his talents into MLS with Inter Miami, the Argentine has built a goal-scoring CV that places him among the most prolific players the sport has ever seen. But for all the trophies and milestones, one detail of his career has nothing to do with stats at all.

Almost every time he scores, Messi looks up and points both index fingers to the sky, a gesture that’s become as recognisable as the goals he scores.

Why Lionel Messi Points to the Sky When He Scores

The gesture is a tribute to Messi’s grandmother, Celia Olivera Cuccittini, who passed away when he was still a young boy in 1998. Celia played a hugely important role in his early years in football, reportedly taking him to his very first training sessions and pushing for him to be given a chance to play despite his small stature.

It’s a pretty consistent habit for someone who’s scored as many goals as he has.

What Other Celebrations Does Messi Have?

Even though pointing to the sky is his signature and go-to celebration, it’s far from the only one Messi has used throughout his career.

He’s been known to run away from the goal with his arms out, often mobbed by teammates in the process, like in the 2022 World Cup final.

There have been more specific tributes too. Messi has previously marked the birth of his children with a thumb-sucking gesture aimed at the camera.

One of Messi’s other celebrations is perhaps one of the most iconic images in football. Back in 2017, Messi scored an injury time winner in El Clasico at the Bernabeu. From there, he removed his shirt and stood in front of the Madridistas in the stands, with his name and number held up at them.

He was even more combative with his celebration during Argentina’s victory over the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, standing before the Dutch bench and cupping both ears after netting a penalty, in a direct response to Louis van Gaal, who had criticised Messi’s work off the ball ahead of the match.

For someone who’s had the odd controversial moment, his celebrations have generally stayed fairly understated. There’s been none of the elaborate choreography seen elsewhere in the game, and even his most famous moments tend to be built around emotion rather than spectacle. That’s arguably part of why the sky-point has endured for so long, fitting neatly with a player who lets his play do the talking.

Lionel Messi Goal Records

Hannah McKay via Reuters

Messi’s sky-point has been performed more times than almost any other celebration in football history, a byproduct of just how often he’s found the net across two decades at the very top of the game.

He holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or awards ever won, comfortably ahead of anyone else in the conversation. He’s also Barcelona’s all-time leading goalscorer, sitting well clear of the next name on the list. In 2026, he became the top scorer in World Cup history.

Scoring aside, Messi has broken records as a creator too, holding the mark for the most assists provided at both club level and on the international stage.

Given how often he’s found the net throughout his career, it’s safe to say very few players will ever dedicate quite so many goals to one single person.