Roberto De Zerbi has told Mateus Fernandes to keep a calm head after the midfielder failed to break into the Tottenham team, insisting the club have not changed their mind about the summer signing from West Ham.
Spurs made ten new signings in the summer as De Zerbi overhauled the squad. Fernandes, Savio and Sandro Tonali were the high-profile ones, costing around £260m between them in transfer fees.
In recent weeks, though, Fernandes has been left on the outside looking in. That has led to suggestions he is not doing enough to endear himself to his new manager, and with Chelsea next on the schedule, De Zerbi was asked about it.
What did De Zerbi say about Mateus Fernandes?
According to Football London, De Zerbi was clear that his view of the Portuguese midfielder has not shifted. “I think he needs to understand the club, to better understand to come inside the environment of a bigger club,” the head coach said.
“Different club, but he’s a good guy. I don’t change my idea about him, like the club [don’t change].”
The message from the Spurs boss was that patience, not panic, is the way forward. “We are convinced of his qualities and he has to stay with a calm head and confidence and enjoy on the pitch, enjoy with the ball. Show his qualities because he will be one of the most important players of Tottenham for the future; for the present and the future.”
Tottenham also posted their team news and updates ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge.
All the latest team news and updates ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge ℹ️
– Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 23, 2026
📲 https://t.co/JhgDfO18ko pic.twitter.com/xNtgG9MBGu
Why is Mateus Fernandes struggling at Tottenham?
De Zerbi put it down to the step up in level. “It’s different habits. It’s like this for a player when they change clubs. When your step is higher, you feel more pressure. You have more expectation, and maybe he has to adapt something more,” he explained.
The numbers back up the concern. Fernandes has started just three Premier League games since his big-money move from West Ham and is currently struggling for form and consistency.
The Mateus Fernandes transfer fee and the pressure that comes with it
A fee that sits inside a £260m trio with Savio and Tonali brings its own spotlight. It is the kind of expectation De Zerbi was talking about, and one that a player arriving from West Ham has to learn to carry quickly. The summer rebuild was always going to take time, and the club’s recruitment is still very much in the headlines.
Author Opinion
Fair play to De Zerbi for backing him in public. Three league starts is a thin return for a player of that price, but the gaffer has been consistent: he sees a future key man, and the club are not wavering.
There is clearly a really good player in there, so Spurs can afford to give him all the time he needs. The Lilywhites just need him to start showing it, because with a squad this big, patience only stretches so far.
