The race for Mateus Fernandes continues to remain wide open as Tottenham Hotspur and Man United push to clinch his signing.While Tottenham have held positive talks with West Ham over a deal for Fernandes, it is clear that they have work to do to win the race for the midfielder.Reports continue to suggest that Man United retain the belief that they can secure the 21-year-old, with whom they have been in talks for a long time.The youngster’s next destination continues to be shrouded in mystery, although one factor is expected to prove key in deciding where he ends up.Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty ImagesKey factor revealed as Tottenham and Man United battle for Mateus FernandesA few days ago, Fabrizio Romano suggested that Fernandes is likely to end up at whichever club offers more money to West Ham.Romano has now reiterated that assertion, revealing on his YouTube channel that the Portugal international is willing to join either the Red Devils or Spurs.The journalist insisted that Fernandes has ‘no strong preference’ for one club over the other, with both clubs engaging in ‘daily discussions’ with West Ham over a deal.He revealed there is now a competitive ‘bidding war’ dynamic between the two clubs, although neither side has tabled any major offers so far.Romano clarified that the deal could depend on the ‘best financial agreement’ for the Hammers, who are demanding £85m, and that the payment terms could also be crucial in deciding who wins the race.This comes after The Athletic’s Andy Mitten claimed Fernandes had a clear preference to join Man United. He said: “I’m told that he would play for Spurs, but he’d prefer Manchester United. It boils down to how much Manchester United are willing to pay. If the club want to pay that amount. They certainly don’t want to get into an auction situation.” Spurs are willing to pay a mammoth fee for FernandesLast week, it was reported that Tottenham are willing to offer £85m for Fernandes, including add-ons, but only £65m would be the fixed portion of that fee.The report suggested that the Red Devils had not shown a willingness to go as high for the midfielder, but United may well have upped their offer since then.With Romano specifically suggesting that the payment terms could be important, it could be a case of West Ham wanting the Lilywhites to increase the fixed portion of the fee.READ MORE: Tottenham making substantial off-field changes to help avoid another relegation scrapThe post Fabrizio Romano categorically denies claim Mateus Fernandes wants Man United over Tottenham appeared first on Spurs Web.