Tottenham Hotspur have started the summer transfer window on the front foot, but their domestic issues across the past few years has thrown a few spanners in the works.

Namely, Brighton & Hove Albion are pushing to sign Luka Vuskovic, who at only 18 years old is one of the most talented defenders in the world, yet to play a competitive match for Spurs, who he joined as a 16-year-old but has since spent completing a series of loan spells.

For the Croatian's efforts over the past year in the German Bundesliga with Hamburg, Vuskovic has been described as a "freak talent" by analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson, who has marvelled over his physicality, athleticism and defensive ability.

However, Tottenham have already signed Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke as they look to shore up Roberto De Zerbi's backline, and efforts now seem to be shifting toward the centre of the park.

Spurs agents in meeting to complete record signing

If Tottenham somehow manage to beat Manchester City and Manchester United to the signing of Sandro Tonali this summer, it would be a stunning statement of intent.

After all, Spurs have recorded two 17th-place finishes in a row in the Premier League.

Tonali, 26, is valued at £100m, and while he is one of the most elegant midfielders competing in English football, Spurs may have an even bigger talent in their sights.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham are in direct talks with the agents of Mateus Fernandes, as they work toward a deal for the West Ham United star, albeit with Manchester United still frontrunners for his signature.

The Portuguese talent was shortlisted for the Premier League Young Player of the Season award for 2025/26, and while the Hammers have been relegated to the Championship, he is still expected to cost around £80m this summer.

Fernandes, 22, would offer something different in the middle of the park, and given his high price tag, would come in as a club-record signing for the Lilywhites.

The midfield merry-go-round is in full swing. Tottenham have their sights trained on two of the Premier League's most in-demand midfielders, and if they can pull off one of the signings, De Zerbi might just be onto something ahead of the new campaign.

Why Fernandes can be just like Tonali for Spurs

It says something about Fernandes that his stock is so high after two testing years in the Premier League. This is a midfielder with a wicked blend of physicality and technical quality, someone who defends solidly and attacks with purpose.

Tonali may be the more refined midfielder, but he would hardly be a poor fallback, sharing many properties with Newcastle's Italian maestro.

Tonali is one of the best in the business, lauded for his elegance and his intelligence. But he is also quietly powerful; a thunderous engine is what charges Eddie Howe's main man.

That Fernandes could be someone who offers the same kind of style could see him thrive under De Zerbi's wing, already more intense in his defensive output, more creative and crisp on the ball.

Hailed as a "superstar" for West Ham by football writer Joost van der Leij, Fernandes is undoubtedly one of the Premier League's most talented midfielders. He knows how to deal with adversity, relegated in each of his past two seasons in the English top flight, and he has still established himself as a rising star who could make a difference for teams competing at the other end of the table.

Even at Southampton, who were far more flimsy in their fight against relegation than West Ham over the past year, Fernandes proved that he has what it takes to play for one of the big boys, with former Saints star Jo Tessem claiming that he was "becoming the ultimate Premier League midfielder".

There is a completeness about him that evades most young stars. You can see why De Zerbi favours him, and Man United too. Tonali is the more complete man, but in the long run, the Portuguese could prove a far more impactful pick.

How Tottenham fare in this tightly-packed race remains to be seen. They are surely up against it, with United boasting Champions League football and a more stable project.

But Spurs have pulled themselves up from the canvas. Now they have direction. Now they have a manager who knows what it means to take a team up into the ascendancy.