Why United are struggling in the race for Mateus Fernandes explained, fans will be fuming with INEOS – report

Manchester United’s position in the race to sign Mateus Fernandes has weakened, as per a recent report. West Ham’s asking price took the Red Devils completely by surprise as they expected the recently relegated side to be easy pickings. The entry of Real Madrid further complicated matters, giving the Hammers hope of a bidding war that would allow them to extract the best possible price for the 21-year-old. But what has truly devastated the 20-time English league champions is Tottenham Hotspur’s stance since joining the transfer race. Mateus Fernandes complications explained Egged on by their new manager Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs are prepared to meet the Championship side’s £80–85 million asking price, while also offering the midfielder a larger wage packet. As a result, the Old Trafford side are reportedly exploring alternative targets such as Alex Scott and Ayyoub Bouaddi, but fans remain optimistic that a deal for the Portugal international can still be agreed. Claret & Hugh, a reliable source of information when it comes to West Ham, have claimed the real reason behind United’s delay in submitting an offer. They have claimed that United are under pressure to abide by the Premier League’s Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) limits and need to green light a few sales before hoping to pay what West Ham are demanding. United’s financial problems revealed SCR, which has replaced Profit and Sustainability rules, essentially requires clubs to limit spending on transfers to 85% of their football-related revenue. “United’s recruitment team that includes Kyle Macaulay, admire Fernandes but are constrained by SCR limits and amortisation commitments. “Meeting our £80–85m price is difficult without major sales. Scott, at £60m, represents a more attainable target.” This explains why INEOS were so keen on selling Manuel Ugarte, even for a loss, before his untimely injury. Fans will be hoping for INEOS to clear this mess up Initially, fans thought INEOS were focusing on avoiding overpaying for targets, and while it is a frustrating stance that has already cost the club in the race for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali, a measured approach might not be the worst choice. But struggling due to SCR and amortisation commitments is a whole different ball game. Whether this report is indeed true, the next couple of days will tell. United were planning to sign as many as three midfielders, but that looks difficult, with academy talents set to be given a chance to impress. Feature image Julian Finney via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25