Tottenham’s £85 million midfield signing Mateus Fernandes has explained why he chose to move to north London despite interest from Manchester United.Tottenham Hotspur’s just‑concluded summer transfer window was a historic one for the club, marking their highest-ever spend in a single window following a £394 million outlay.Spurs made it their focus to bolster every position on the pitch as they looked to provide Roberto De Zerbi with a squad capable of competing this season. It certainly has not started well for the Lilywhites, who are winless and without a goal in their opening three league games, but there is no denying the quality in the Tottenham squad.Credit: @thefrederikkejensen / InstagramMateus Fernandes explains Tottenham’s choice after £185m midfield rebuildThe midfield was one area of the pitch where the bulk of the club’s money went, as they bolstered their ranks with the signings of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. The pair cost Spurs a combined £185 million, with Fernandes costing £85 million and Tonali £100 million.Both Tonali and Fernandes have since settled into life at Spurs this season, with the pair having made three appearances respectively in the Premier League. Fernandes has now opened up on what made him choose Tottenham this summer despite interest from Manchester United.Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “I spoke with the manager and he was the key for this decision. You can feel when you speak with him, the energy, the passion about football.“He spoke with me, he spoke with my dad, he spoke with my mum. So it was not just about me, it was about the people around me. He said to my dad, ‘we will take care of me’.“He is a top manager. You can feel on the pitch, off the pitch as well. And I am very happy to work with him.”Fernandes reveals De Zerbi influence and belief in Spurs squadFernandes also revealed that he made his feelings about De Zerbi clear to the Spurs boss himself when the deal was completed.He added: “The first day of the pre-season, I met him and he was very happy. I was very happy as well for playing for him. I said, ‘Look, I chose Tottenham because one of the biggest parts was you’.”But it was far from just De Zerbi’s words that convinced the 21-year-old to make the switch to north London. The Italian’s style of football also impressed Fernandes. “For me as a midfielder, I like so much,” he said.The midfielder remains adamant that he is in the right place to develop his skills even further, as he believes the quality of the Spurs squad can raise his own level of performance too.He concluded: “I believe that I can be a much better player than I was last season,” said the 22-year-old Portuguese, who recorded three goals and four assists in the Premier League for the Hammers.“If you look at the squad, it is a big team with big players, important players, players with experience, players with a lot of quality. So, when you play with better players, I think you play better. So, I believe that I can be much better.”READ MORE: Tottenham handed creative £17.1m Richarlison solution as Vasco push for deadline dealThe post Mateus Fernandes reveals why he joined Tottenham despite Man United interest appeared first on Spurs Web.