Reports indicate that Manchester United has improved the terms offered to M. Fernandes. The reasons behind their admiration for him are revealed in six key points, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe miscalculated the valuation.

Manchester United and Tottenham remain in intense competition for Matheus Fernandes. Marca's Matt Moretto reported that United reconnected with Jorge Mendes over the weekend, indicating they are ready to improve his terms in an attempt to convince him to turn down Tottenham and join the Red Devils.

Italian transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano explained: "Tottenham has been trying for several days to come to terms with the player and his agent. United is also in communication with West Ham to facilitate the transfer of M. Fernandes. What is certain is that the player will be sold to the highest bidder, so whoever offers more will get him from West Ham. M. Fernandes is open to both clubs."

Ben Jacobs added: "It's still unclear which team the player will choose. Tottenham has held in-depth talks, while United has been in contact since May. Both clubs are actively discussing with West Ham. With a £90 million injection and competition from several teams, West Ham has held firm on their asking price. A resolution is expected soon, as neither the clubs nor the player want this dragging beyond July."

Manchester United is facing growing competition for M. Fernandes, and the biggest challenge has unexpectedly come from Tottenham, who have promised generous terms to his agent Mendes and are willing to meet West Ham's asking price of over £80 million.

West Ham fans are not fond of Tottenham, especially after the latter poached Dutch winger Mohammed Kudus last year. But business is business, and the "Hammers" know that the 21-year-old M. Fernandes must leave. They simply want the highest price, regardless of whether it comes from Tottenham or United.

Logically, M. Fernandes has no reason to choose Tottenham over United. Tottenham barely avoided relegation last season and have no European football, while Old Trafford offers Champions League football and his idol Bruno Fernandes. United believe the speculation around M. Fernandes is orchestrated by Mendes, who is known for maximizing value for himself and his players.

Two years ago, Mendes orchestrated the move of French center-back Leny Yoro to United even though the player wanted Real Madrid, because "Los Blancos" only offered €20 million while United paid over €60 million. West Ham manager Nuno Santo previously coached Wolves for a long time, and Mendes has deep ties with that club, adding credibility to the claim that Mendes is pulling the strings behind M. Fernandes' transfer.

Mendes also has reason to do so, as M. Fernandes is one of the hottest players on the transfer market. Although the teams he played for over the past two years—Southampton and West Ham—were both relegated, his consistent performances for unstable sides demonstrate his quality.

In 2024, Southampton signed M. Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon for £15 million. After relegation, they sold him to West Ham for more than double that amount, £42 million. Now West Ham is following the same pattern, demanding more than double that figure—£85 million.

One major reason United is keen on M. Fernandes is his age and potential. This experienced midfielder is only 21 and has proven he can adapt to various environments. He is younger than any other player on United's roster, as well as other notable midfielders potentially available this summer, such as Crystal Palace's Wharton (22), Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson (23), Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez (25), and Newcastle's Sandro Tonali (26).

The transfer department believes M. Fernandes still has significant room for growth before reaching his ceiling. United expects that if they sign him, he could serve the club for a decade, making a premium payment to West Ham potentially worthwhile.

The second reason United decided to pursue M. Fernandes was his apparent value for money at the time. Forest is asking £126 million for Anderson, and Newcastle wants £100 million for Tonali. In comparison, M. Fernandes would certainly be cheaper.

Moreover, at that time, United and the British media believed West Ham would open a "fire sale" after relegation to raise funds, allowing United to snatch a bargain. The price for M. Fernandes was thought to be definitely under £60 million, with some even claiming exaggerated figures of £30-40 million. But now it's clear things are not that simple, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team have somewhat miscalculated.

West Ham's valuation of M. Fernandes remains fixed at £80-85 million, far above United's expectations. And due to interest from other clubs, West Ham's new majority shareholder, Daniel Kretinsky, insists the club does not need to sell players on the cheap.

Of course, even at £80 million, the price only makes United regret not being able to take advantage of the situation. In reality, this figure is not excessive; almost every other midfielder on the market is priced similarly. Even Carlos Baleba, who had a poor season, is valued at £80 million by Brighton. Those who think a £50 million deal is possible are probably wishful, just as they thought M. Fernandes could be had for that amount.

The most prominent feature of M. Fernandes' technique is his passing ability. This is the third reason United favors him—he possesses elite passing range. "Gradient Sports" ranks M. Fernandes' passing in the Premier League at sixth, with a score of 85.9, even higher than Declan Rice and Moisés Caicedo.

Among them, his passing rating is among the top of 102 eligible midfielders. Among United's reported midfield targets, only Wharton has a higher passing grade than him.

Further analysis of M. Fernandes' passing ability shows that among Premier League midfielders, he ranks first in one-touch passing (83.6), third in through balls (83.0), and fourth in long passes (82.9), indicating a well-rounded passing game.

Therefore, if M. Fernandes plays as United's defensive midfielder, he can receive the ball in tight spaces and distribute it appropriately to teammates, adding a different passing dimension to the tactics compared to the current setup. Current Red Devils midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has good ball control in space but is not strong at passing, often only making routine transfers.

If opponents drop back into a compact defense, M. Fernandes can carry the ball forward; his dribbling rating of 81.0 ranks fourth among all Premier League midfielders. Moreover, even without the ball, M. Fernandes has proven to be one of the best midfielders last season, with excellent running ability—he ranks in the top ten in midfield running distance in the Premier League.

This is the fourth reason M. Fernandes attracts United: he is an all-round midfielder. England international Anderson is considered the most versatile midfielder on the summer transfer market. M. Fernandes hasn't reached his level yet but is second only to him, with the added advantage of youth.

M. Fernandes ranks eighth in tackling ability among Premier League midfielders (80.8). He ranks third overall in both total tackles and ground duels among all positions in the league; Anderson ranks fifth and first, respectively. Thus, United's scouts view M. Fernandes as a potential alternative who can be developed into an Anderson-type player.

Fifth, M. Fernandes not only plays as a defensive midfielder but also has other growth attributes—he could eventually succeed B. Fernandes. When he first arrived in the Premier League, M. Fernandes played as an attacking midfielder, and Southampton even deployed him as a number nine. He later requested to drop deeper into a holding role, but even at West Ham, he has played out wide.

Although B. Fernandes is known as an iron man at United, rarely missing games or taking breaks due to injury, he is getting older and played in the World Cup over the summer. If he needs rest during the season or faces suspension, M. Fernandes can step in as a number 10 or number 8.

Finally, the sixth advantage of M. Fernandes is similar to B. Fernandes: he has been a durable player since joining the Premier League. At age 20, after signing for Southampton, M. Fernandes made 36 appearances across all competitions, starting 34 times, with only two games as a substitute shortly after joining. He missed just one match due to yellow card accumulation.

After officially transferring to West Ham on August 29 last year, M. Fernandes has not missed a single game. Among the 36 Premier League rounds he could play, he started all but one—the match against Leeds United, where the coach asked him to reflect from the bench, but he came on and scored. Among all Premier League defensive midfielders, only Anderson and Everton's James Garner have started more league games than M. Fernandes.