Tottenham came very close to signing World Cup star Bruno Fernandes in 2019 – now, Real Madrid are interested.
That is according to Record in Portugal, who believe the Spanish giants have added the £47m man to their shortlist as a result of his excellent performances in Qatar.
What’s the story?
Well, it was Fernandes himself who revealed that he had agreed to join Tottenham back in the summer of 2019, although Sporting Lisbon blocked the move.
Speaking to GQ Portugal, the 28-year-old said: “Tottenham made a lot of proposals for me. Everything was right with me. I never made any big demands, my manager was always dealing with the financials. It was and is my goal to play in England, but Sporting understood that the value was not enough and I have to respect the decision.”
Fernandes eventually joined Manchester United a few months later in January, and has made Tottenham regret missing out by scoring 38 goals and setting up a further 26 in 100 Premier League appearances.
Now, Real Madrid – arguably the pinnacle of club football – are interested.
Record believe Fernandes has dominated conversations between those on the recruitment team at the Santiago Bernabeu, after shining for Portugal in Group H at the World Cup.
The Manchester United No.8 has scored two goals and provided two assists in two appearances at the World Cup so far, helping Portugal qualify for the Round of 16 with a game to spare, which comes against South Korea on Friday.
Real Madrid interest opens wounds for Tottenham
Missing out on Fernandes has been one of the biggest ‘what if’ moments in Tottenham’s recent history, and Real Madrid’s interest in his services has ripped open the wound for Spurs.
The north Londoners have struggled to find a replacement for Christian Eriksen since he departed for Inter Milan in January 2020, and the Portugal international would have been an ideal option.
Now, it is down to Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici to bring a new technician to Tottenham, someone who can have a similar impact to Dejan Kulusevski from the middle of the park.
It won’t be easy, but it could make all the difference for Spurs in the hunt for silverware.
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