The dream Mateus Fernandes alternatives Man United can now sign - including £68m star and Newcastle gem

Manchester United’s summer transfer plans have been rocked, after The Athletic broke the news that Tottenham Hotspur have beaten them in the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes.

He’s set to join the north London side in a whopping £85m deal, after United were supposedly unwilling to meet the Irons’ asking price. This has now scuppered the Red Devils’ hopes of completing their midfield rebuild with the Portuguese talent. A serious injury to Manuel Ugarte has thrown a further spanner into the works, too, as the club were believed to have factored funds from his planned exit into their spending strategy.

United have already got part one of the restructure sorted at least, with a deal for Brazil international Ederson set to be announced following the conclusion of his participation in the World Cup. Fernandes was very much seen as the final piece of the puzzle - although not many people do two-piece puzzles, granted - but the club will now need to move on and pursue other options.

Well, who wants to deal with the confusion of two Fernandeses in one midfield, right? There are a host of top class alternatives out there for United to chase down, and they’ll waste no time in doing so. Here are six top class alternatives who Michael Carrick’s side could sign after missing out on Fernandes.

Six top class Fernandes alternatives Man Utd can now sign: Tchouameni to Wharton

Aurelien Tchouameni - Real Madrid: With Jose Mourinho rolling into town, who knows who’ll be thrown to the wayside by the famously combustible head coach? Tchouameni could find him surplus to requirements this summer, with Los Blancos believed to be chasing Chelsea vice-captain Enzo Fernandez.

Tchouameni has been impressing in the World Cup with France, who’ve been the standout team of the tournament so far after breezing their way into the last 16. Interest in the 26-year-old will only continue to ramp up, and United could well make a move for the top quality midfielder who’s likely to be a cheaper alternative to Fernandes.

Carlos Baleba - Brighton: United have been linked with Baleba for a long time, but the club were ultimately turned off the deal by the Seagulls’ whopping asking price in past transfer windows. However, with his contract now down to its final two years, Brighton will eventually need to drop their valuation of the 22-year-old Cameroon international.

Baleba has impressed in the Premier League over the past few seasons, lighting up the division with his energetic midfield displays and earning himself plenty of admirers in the process. As things stand, there isn’t too much chat linking the ex-Lille gem with United again, but after the Fernandes debacle, their interest could well be reignited.

Adam Wharton - Crystal Palace: It seems inevitable that the talented young England international will leave Selhurst Park either this summer or the next, as a host of elite sides cast admiring glances at the former Blackburn Rovers prodigy. Man United’s interest has been established for some time, although signing him in this window may be a stretch financially.

Interestingly, recent reports have claimed that Palace are making a move to sign Southampton midfielder Shea Charles, who looks like he could be a natural successor to Wharton in the heart of the Eagles’ midfield. With a contingency plan potentially in place, the south London side just might be ready to let their talisman go before the window shuts.

Six top class Fernandes alternatives Man Utd can now sign: Scott to Nmecha

Alex Scott - Bournemouth: Scott was unlucky to miss out on a place in England’s controversial World Cup squad, after a real breakthrough campaign for Bournemouth. He’s now a highly coveted Premier League midfielder, and is tipped by many to be United’s next option after failing to land Fernandes.

Arsenal have already made an approach for Scott but were firmly rebuffed by the Cherries, who claim they have no intention of selling the 22-year-old this summer. How firmly Bournemouth stick to their stance remains to be seen, especially if the player agitates for a move. The competition to sign Scott will be fierce, but United shouldn’t be ruled out in the race to sign him.

Bruno Guimaraes - Newcastle United: A bit of a left-field shout, but one worth considering. As with Scott, Arsenal have made an offer, but the Gunners won’t sign both players. If the north London side do move for Scott, United could have a clear run at Guimaraes. Newcastle’s stance is similarly robust for the Brazilian star, however, with the club unwilling to sell their captain.

United had previously been linked with Guimaraes’ midfield partner Sandro Tonali, but Newcastle’s rumoured £100m asking price has put off any potential suitors. Having already lost Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, while clubs continue to chase both Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, the Magpies are desperate to hang on to their midfield duo. However, the last thing they want is another Alexander Isak saga - if Man Utd apply some pressure, they could be in with a shout of signing Guimaraes, if not Tonali.

Felix Nmecha - Borussia Dortmund: The 25-year-old gem was having a lovely time of it at the World Cup with Germany, before they were unceremoniously dumped out of the competition by Paraguay on penalties. Nmecha has been hotly tipped to seal a move to Old Trafford, and those rumours will only intensify after United failed to sign Fernandes.

Chelsea are also thought to be in the mix, but their need to sign a left-back, centre-back and a striker should mean they won’t be too much of a threat in the race to sign the ex-Manchester City prospect, who flitted between England and Germany at youth level. He could be a dream partner for Ederson in midfield, and is certainly an option worth considering.