Man Utd set to lose out on top midfield target for not matching asking price as Spurs make move

Manchester United are set to lose out on their top midfield target to Spurs as they refuse to pay over the odds this summer.

With Casemiro departing Old Trafford this summer, United are looking for a major reshuffle in the position and have already agreed a £35 million deal to bring Atalanta and Brazil midfielder Ederson.

That transfer appears to have been wrapped up with relative ease but their pursuit of Portugal midfielder Matheus Fernandes is proving trickier.

United have been heavily linked with Fernandes, who has just been relegated from the Premier League on the final day with West Ham.

Despite failing to help the Hammers avoid the drop, the former Sporting CP man's stock has risen and he was nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season award.

Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have also been credited with interest but the latest development from TEAMtalk is that Spurs are edging closer to an agreement for Fernandes.

West Ham are demanding a fee of £85 million and Spurs are said to be prepared to fork out the club-record sum.

They are willing to pay £65 million up front, with the remainder of the fee coming in add-ons and performance-related bonuses.

READ MORE: Scotland World Cup star in line for shock Man Utd move

The report notes that a deal is "advancing rapidly", with Fernandes giving his full green light and accepting personal terms offered.

A move to Spurs, where he would be a key piece of Roberto De Zerbi's project, would allow him to remain living in London.

While United are not completely out of the race and talks are still ongoing, they are believed to be reluctant to pay over the odds for any player.

That could be the difference in the pursuit for the 21-year-old as United skipper Bruno Fernandes is his idol and they can now offer him Champions League football.

United's director of football Jason Wilcox is set to be leading proceedings on the Fernandes front.

Man United identify alternative if Matheus Fernandes move falls through

As well as not wanting to repeat previous mistakes by splashing on huge transfer fees, United are wary of offering big wages which could cause them problems further down the line.

Fernandes joined West Ham from Southampton last summer for more than £40 million.

He made his Portugal debut in March in a friendly against the United States bit was not included in Roberto Martinez's World Cup squad as the former Belgium boss opted to include an extra goalkeeper.

United do have other alternatives in mind when it comes to midfield reinforcements, with Bournemouth star Alex Scott understood to be a player of interest.

New Cherries boss Marco Rose has made it clear that he does not wish to sell Scott despite United being admirers of the talented midfielder.

Scott was integral to Bournemouth's historic sixth-place finish under Andoni Iraola and was in Thomas Tuchel's thinking for the England squad as he headed to Florida with the squad for a pre-World Cup training camp.