Manchester United missed out on one of their biggest midfield targets after Mateus Fernandes completed a sensational move to Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs stunned everyone by meeting the staggering £85 million asking price set by West Ham United.
The Athletic have now revealed that Man United captain Bruno Fernandes helped persuade his namesake to move to Old Trafford.
The 21-year-old has openly admitted in the past that Bruno Fernandes has always been his football idol.
Personal terms were never considered a stumbling block, but United wanted West Ham to lower their valuation.
As Spurs stepped up their pursuit, United were prepared to offer £80m up front with a further £5m in performance-related add-ons.
The London outfit ended the contest decisively by submitting a guaranteed £85m offer that immediately secured the deal.
Fernandes would have been a superb acquisition for United.
The Portuguese star possesses exceptional talent and enormous long-term potential, but paying such a huge guaranteed fee would have represented a massive financial gamble.
United have already experienced the painful consequences of overspending on transfer fees and inflated wages during previous regimes.
Only time will reveal whether INEOS showed admirable discipline or allowed a genuine future superstar to slip through their fingers.
The focus must now quickly shift towards other midfield targets as INEOS attempt to recover from another frustrating setback in the transfer market.
United are still monitoring several alternatives, including Felix Nmecha, Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba, Alex Scott and Aurelien Tchouameni.
INEOS are also keeping tabs on Ayyoub Bouaddi, although Lille’s insistence on a loan-back arrangement makes that deal considerably more difficult to complete.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
