Mateus Fernandes emerges as Tottenham's instant fix in midfield

A strong start at his new club

Mateus Fernandes joined Tottenham Hotspur from West Ham in the summer for £85 million, a fee that drew criticism at the time, particularly from fans of clubs that had also pursued him, including Manchester United. His first two appearances have changed that narrative. In the Premier League opener against Brentford, which Tottenham lost 0-3, Fernandes came on in the second half and was one of the team's few bright spots. On Wednesday, in the second round of the League Cup against Charlton Athletic, he made his first start and was again the best midfielder on the pitch, forming a partnership with Rodrigo Bentancur; Tottenham won that match 5-1, as reported by Yahoo Sports.

Maddison's injury adds to the squad's troubles

The context that has pushed Fernandes into the role of an immediate solution stems from a string of injuries among Tottenham's creative midfielders. James Maddison suffered a shoulder injury coming off the bench against Brentford — not considered serious, but a setback nonetheless, since he has yet to start a match since recovering from the ACL tear he sustained at the end of the 2024/25 season. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are also recovering from ACL injuries, leaving Maddison and Conor Gallagher as the only fit senior No. 10 options at the club.

Gallagher fails to convince

With Maddison out, Gallagher would be the natural choice among the more experienced players, but his performance against Brentford was well below expectations and revived memories of Tottenham's poor form last season, when the club flirted with relegation trouble. Academy breakout Luca Williams-Barnett, who impressed in pre-season, is still considered not yet ready for the Premier League.

Talk of a potential bargain

After the opening matches, there is growing discussion that the £85 million fee could turn out to be a bargain. SpaceMoney notes that Fernandes' impact is already being rated higher than the impact expected from £100 million signing Sandro Tonali, and the comparison with Chelsea's purchases of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, both of which exceeded £100 million, is fuelling the argument that Tottenham got good value.

A role for the future

Although Fernandes is a defensive midfielder by trade, his athleticism, passing and defensive qualities are, according to multiple sources, considered superior to Gallagher's even in a more advanced role. Analysts suggest that playing him higher up the pitch would not hinder his development and could eventually help him transition into a No. 6 or No. 8 role, similar to how Archie Gray has been used out of position in defence. In the coming weeks, Fernandes is expected to continue playing as the No. 10 alongside Bentancur.