Mendes had his signing closed, but Real Madrid discarded it

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16/08/26 17:00:00

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Mateus Fernandes was much closer to becoming a Real Madrid player than publicly known. The Portuguese midfielder was one of José Mourinho's priorities to strengthen the midfield, but the sports management decided not to complete an operation that, according to various reports, was well advanced thanks to the work of Jorge Mendes. Finally, the Portuguese international headed to Tottenham, which sealed his signing with a record transfer fee close to 100 million euros.

The decision of the white team has sparked debate in recent days. While the Portuguese coach insisted on the need to incorporate a midfielder with experience, physical ability, and potential, the club chose not to make a significant investment in that position. As a result, one of the most promising players in European football ended up in the Premier League.

Mateus Fernandes was a specific request from Mourinho for Real Madrid

As revealed by Radio Marca journalist Sergio Valentín, Mateus Fernandes was one of the names marked in red by Mourinho from the start of the sports planning. The coach considered it essential to strengthen the midfield with a young, dynamic player ready to lead the generational change.

The 21-year-old Portuguese had just completed a season at West Ham United, where he played 38 Premier League games before attracting the interest of several European giants. His ability to play as an attacking midfielder, defensive midfielder, or box-to-box midfielder made him one of the most coveted talents in the market.

However, Real Madrid chose not to get involved in an escalating bidding war, eventually leading to the deal falling through.

Jorge Mendes had the operation well underway

One of the most striking aspects of the operation was the role played by Jorge Mendes. The renowned Portuguese agent had advanced discussions with both the player's entourage and his original club, placing Real Madrid in a privileged position to try to secure the signing.

However, the white team's sports management decided not to take the final step. The club's stance was clear: they were not willing to match the figures that Tottenham would end up paying, an amount close to around 85 million pounds, approximately 98 million euros, making it the most expensive signing in the history of the London-based club.

The decision paved the way for the 'Spurs' to finalize a deal that is already one of the major investments of the summer.

The midfield remains an open debate

Although Real Madrid boasts top-level players like Fede Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Eduardo Camavinga, Mourinho believed that the squad needed another midfielder capable of dominating matches both physically and tactically.

Ultimately, the reinforcement for that area has been Bernardo Silva, a high-quality addition but with a different profile and age, as the Portuguese international will turn 32 years old next August. The coach believed that both operations could perfectly coexist within the project, although the sports management prioritized other moves.

Real Madrid does not foresee more signings for LaLiga

Even though names like Rodri Hernández or Enzo Fernández have been rumored in recent weeks, the feeling at Valdebebas is that the transfer market is virtually closed unless an unexpected opportunity arises.

The sports planning believes that the current squad provides enough alternatives to compete for all titles and does not plan to make another major investment in the midfield this summer.

Therefore, Mateus Fernandes will remain one of the missed opportunities of the Madrid market. The Portuguese midfielder was Mourinho's favorite, Jorge Mendes had set the stage to facilitate the deal, and Real Madrid chose not to seize the chance. Now, Mateus Fernandes will face a new challenge in the Premier League while the LaLiga will continue to debate whether the white team let one of the most promising midfielders in European football slip away.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mendes tenía cerrado su fichaje, pero el Real Madrid lo descartó