Bruno Fernandes admits he was on the verge of Tottenham transfer last summer and Jose Mourinho could move for him in January
Bruno Fernandes has revealed he had every intention of moving to the Premier League and joining Tottenham last summer.
The talented 25-year-old was one of the most in-demand players with a number European clubs allegedly keeping tabs on the Portugal international.
He scored a stunning 32 goals from midfield last season, creating a further 18, and was linked with Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Fernandes’ form hasn’t dipped either and already has 13 goals and 13 assists this campaign.
It emerged that Spurs were the only club to make a serious offer for the Sporting midfielder, but Federico Varandas, Sporting’s president, rejected their offer despite them matching the €65million (£58.5m) asking price
“In the summer I thought I could go out. I believed it was a good time to leave due to many factors. I made the best time of my career to date, Fernandes told Portuguese outlet Record.
“After the UEFA Nations League, there were already many contacts, especially with Tottenham. It was the team that wanted me the most and was the only one I agreed to talk with, because there were other clubs that didn’t interest me or whose project was not up to my expectations.
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“Tottenham fit into everything I wish I had at that moment. It is an appealing championship. Knowing that Tottenham would be willing to pay for me and make every possible effort to take me, leaves a player eager to take that step.”
Jose Mourinho is admittedly a big admirer of his fellow countryman and now that he is in charge of Spurs, could be tempted to make a move for Fernandes in the January transfer window, according to The Athletic.
He told Eleven Sports in June: “I was surprised by his season. It was easy to predict quality, he is a very good player.
“But he scored a very high number of goals for a midfielder. It shows you need to have instinct and quality to score and he has it all.
“He strikes the ball well, heads well, cool when he is one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
“He finds space in the penalty area. It’s all there.”
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