Tottenham are not worried about Mateus Fernandes’s performances so far and will continue to back the midfielder amid his early struggles.
According to Football Insider, Tottenham are set to remain patient with Fernandes, with the £85 million star yet to make his mark. Roberto De Zerbi has continued to rotate the Portuguese midfielder heavily in his lineups, although the club are not overly concerned about his long-term impact.
Fernandes was in demand during the summer window, with several clubs chasing the Portuguese midfielder. Despite suffering back-to-back Premier League relegations with Southampton and then West Ham last season, it did little damage to his reputation as a highly sought-after talent.
Despite the competition during the summer, Tottenham won the race for his signature and paid £85 million for the midfielder, which was then a club record. That record was later broken when Spurs agreed a move for Sandro Tonali, with fans hoping the pair would become the club’s main midfield partnership once the season began.
So far, Fernandes has started only three of the seven Premier League matches and none of the last three. The main reason for that is Tottenham’s lack of positive results since the start of the season, as Roberto De Zerbi continues to search for the strongest possible lineup.
Tottenham not concerned about Fernandes
Despite some doubts among fans about their expensive £85 million signing, with some sections believing he could already be a flop, the club view the situation differently. They are aware of the concerns but consider Fernandes a long-term investment who will eventually come good.
The pressure of playing for Spurs is vastly different from what Fernandes experienced at Southampton and West Ham. There is always an adjustment period when joining a new club, and Fernandes is taking his time to settle into life in North London.
De Zerbi has also stated that the player needs time to understand the club and how the team is expected to play. As he said, “Mateus is a great player, one of the best in our team, and he needs time to understand the club. I have confidence in him. He doesn’t start games badly or worse than others, but he has to be stronger. He needs time and that’s what we’ll give him.”
Overall, Spurs do not appear concerned about the midfielder’s immediate impact at the club, as they believe he will come good once he is fully settled. For now, Fernandes will aim to make himself a major part of De Zerbi’s plans moving forward and prove his doubters wrong.
