Tottenham Hotspur’s £85m signing of Matheus Fernandes from West Ham United was helped over the line by a personal recommendation from fellow Spaniard Pedro Porro, the new midfielder has revealed.
Tottenham completed the deal during the current summer after beating Manchester United in the race for the Portugal international. Fernandes will strengthen the London club’s midfield from next season, with his decision influenced by both Porro and manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Fernandes said Porro, his former team-mate at Sporting Lisbon, contacted him directly to encourage him to make the move to Tottenham.
“One day he called me and said: ‘Come on, Matheus, you have to play with us, we want you’,” Fernandes told The Athletic, in comments published by Mundo Deportivo.
The midfielder also revealed that Porro had gone further by speaking to De Zerbi and personally asking the manager to pursue the transfer.
“He admitted to me: ‘I was the one who asked the manager to sign you’,” Fernandes added.
Porro’s intervention gave Fernandes extra confidence as he considered the next stage of his career. The pair already knew each other from their time at Sporting Lisbon, and that previous relationship allowed the Tottenham defender to make a direct appeal to the player.
However, Fernandes made clear that Porro was not the only influential figure in the negotiations. He said De Zerbi’s approach, particularly the way the manager communicated with him and his family, played a decisive role in persuading him to move to north London.
“The way he spoke to me and my family was very important to me. He called me every day,” Fernandes said.
“He told me that he would be like a second father to me in England. I am very happy to work with him.”
The comments offer an insight into how Tottenham succeeded in completing an £85m deal for Fernandes despite competition from Manchester United. While Porro’s recommendation helped establish the club’s appeal, Fernandes indicated that De Zerbi’s persistence and personal connection ultimately proved equally important.
Fernandes is now set to join Tottenham for the new campaign after leaving West Ham United. His arrival is intended to add strength to the London club’s midfield, while his existing connection with Porro provides an early link within the squad.
Porro’s role was therefore not limited to welcoming a former colleague after the transfer had been completed. According to Fernandes, the Tottenham full-back actively encouraged the deal and made his preference clear before the move was finalised. De Zerbi then maintained regular contact with the player and his family, helping Tottenham secure the midfielder’s signature after the contest with Manchester United.
