Tottenham have beaten their rivals Manchester United in the race to sign Mateus Fernandes this summer, as David Ornstein reports that Spurs are now in pole position to complete a move for the West Ham midfielder.

It comes as both teams have been battling it out to land the Portuguese star, who has impressed in the past two seasons for the Hammers and Southampton, despite suffering back-to-back relegations from the Premier League.

There has been intense interest, even beyond Spurs and the Red Devils, as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Arsenal were all credited with interest too.

However, it seems as though Tottenham have won the race over Man United for Fernandes’s signature.

How Tottenham Won Fernandes Race

via Reuters

Both Tottenham and Man United battled it out to land Fernandes, but the report from Ornstein claims that it is now Spurs who will sign the midfielder to bolster their ranks.

It’s claimed that the Lilywhites have submitted the best proposal to West Ham, offering roughly £85 million in guaranteed transfer funds for the 21-year-old.

It’s a huge fee that Man United were simply not willing to match, with Fernandes also committing to joining Tottenham over the coming days of the transfer window.

The Red Devils will now move on to other midfield targets, having already agreed a deal to sign Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Atalanta, while they monitor other options who could strengthen their central ranks.

Both Tottenham and Man United have shown interest in Sandro Tonali, a saga that could now change as a result of Tottenham’s move for Fernandes, but it’s unclear whether that deal will transpire for either club.

As for Spurs, Fernandes is set to become the North London club’s fifth signing of the summer transfer window, having already sealed moves for Jan Paul van Hecke, Martin Dubravka, Marcos Senesi, and Andy Robertson.

Fernandes will take the overall summer transfer spend to roughly £137 million in total, with more spending expected in the coming weeks, if the club continue to target new options.

This is a developing story, more to come as it breaks…

We’ve all seen it; countless footballers across the world love to sport wrist tape when they play and nobody has ever really explained why.

Everyone from Phil Foden, Karim Benzema, Neymar — and even Jamie Vardy — have been known to do so and many more can be seen week in, week out doing the same.

But the reason isn’t always the same: here’s what’s actually going on.

Reason 1: Injury Prevention

Safety first, there are multiple ways in which a player can succumb to injuries of the wrist and hands. The high-energy, high-contact nature of the sport sees players regularly come into contact with one another, risking damage to the joints, wrists and fingers.

An expert voice — former Cardiff City physio Ben Warbuton — explained that there are two functions: preventive and protective. One helps to reduce the risk of injury from falling, whilst it can also help reduce extension of the wrist too.

Reason 2: Playing Through Existing Injuries

One high-profile example of this is Manchester City‘s Foden. Having fractured his hand in early 2024, he became synonymous with it throughout their Premier League title run, across Euro 2024 and into the following campaign.

Referring back to Warburton’s previous comments, “Taping can give reassurance after an injury. This can give massive confidence to a player, making them feel they can play aggressively — and should they fall, their wrist is slightly protected.”

Neymar was a prime example. He used zinc-oxide athletic tape to support his wrist joints. As one of the most fouled players in football history, it was certainly a protective measure.

Reason 3: Psychology and Rituals

For some players, it is akin to a pre-match ritual. Most players have some kind of personal routine. From a physical standpoint, it may not be required if they have no current injury or risk, but the routine itself can provide a sense of focus and readiness.

One famous ritual – or good luck charm – was Vardy’s blue wrist strap. Originally there to help him recover from two broken bones, delaying surgery ensured he had to wear the lightweight cast, but it coincided with a generational run of form that saw him match a goalscoring record before making history with the 2015/16 title win.

Reason 4: Goalkeepers and Tactics

One position that hasn’t been referenced yet is the one that typically utilises it the most: goalkeepers. As already covered, protecting fingers and wrists is a key reason for tape, but it takes on added importance for keepers to combat the force of shots and awkward dives.

It can also be tactical; they can also place notes on their tape for penalty situations. That’s if it hasn’t been printed off and stuck to their water bottle, of course.

Reason 5: Style

This final one certainly lies within personal preference. Sometimes the look is all about aesthetics rather than function. For some, it forms part of a visual identity, or a way to differentiate from the crowd.

Others, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suárez, looked to hide certain objects such as a fitness tracker and a good luck bracelet under the strapping.

England’s next World Cup opponents will be the DR Congo as Thomas Tuchel’s squad look to advance from the Round of 32. England and the DR Congo will face off for the very first time, with the encounter taking place in Atlanta, Georgia.

England remain one of the tournament favourites after qualifying from the group stage unbeaten. But does the African nation pose a threat to the Three Lions’ World Cup crusade?

Who are DR Congo?

REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

Formerly named Zaire, the Democratic Republic of Congo is the second-largest country in Africa, with a population of approximately 124 million. The country was renamed the DR Congo in 1997 after President Mobutu Sese Seko was overthrown by rebel forces.

The country’s relatively new name is in reference to the great Congo River that flows through the country. The river’s name is derived from the historic African Kingdom of Kongo and the indigenous Bakongo people who lived in the region.

DR Congo Record at World Cup 2026

Who are the Best DR Congo Players?

REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

Northern-based England fans will be all too familiar with two of the DR Congo’s biggest threats. Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa is rediscovering his form after an injury-plagued start to life on Tyneside. He has netted three times in the World Cup already, making him the top scoring African player in the group stage.

Noah Sadiki was a pivotal part of Sunderland’s excellent 7th-place finish in the Premier League, earning them Europa League qualification. An energetic and forward-thinking midfielder, expect him to link well with Wissa.

DR Congo’s rearguard offers significant top-level pedigree too. Team captain and all-time leading appearance maker Chancel Mbemba is incredibly experienced at club and international level. The 31-year-old previously played for Newcastle as part of the squad that won the Championship in 2017. He is supported ably by West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Burnley’s Axel Tuanzebe in defence.

But the wildcard for the DR Congo is their veteran striker Cedric Bakambu. The 35-year-old is well travelled and has previously won the Golden Boot in both the Chinese and Greek Super Leagues. Bakambu contributed four goals in World Cup qualifying and is now just one goal behind the country’s all-time leading goalscorer, Dieumerci Mbokani.

DR Congo Manager and Style of Play

REUTERS/Raquel Cunha

• Manager: Sebastien Desabre
• Style of Play/Tactics: 5-3-2 or 4-4-2

Manager Sebastien Desabre is well-versed in international football, having coached both Uganda and the DR Congo during a 20-year managerial career. The Frenchman guided the DR Congo to the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. He also led them to impressive victories over Cameroon and Nigeria in World Cup qualification.

Desabre has shown tactical fluidity during the World Cup. The DR Congo adopted a five-man backline against Portugal and Colombia, earning a well-deserved point against Roberto Martinez’s side. But for their 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, Desabre was more offensive, opting for a 4-4-2.

With 29 clean sheets in their previous 57 games under Desabre, the African nation can soak up the pressure when required. This has paired well with a strong counter-attacking style boosted by the pace of Wissa and Sadiki.

World Cup on GIVEMESPORT