'The deal was done on the sunbed': Gascoigne's Spurs regret is a warning for Fernandes after snubbing Man Utd
Paul Gascoigne chose Tottenham over Sir Alex Ferguson's United in 1988 and still calls it his biggest regret. Thirty-eight years later, Mateus Fernandes has made the same choice for the same reasons.
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Paul Gascoigne has often voiced his regret about joining Tottenham over Manchester United for the money. Thirty-eight years later, Mateus Fernandes has seemingly done the same.
Fernandes completed an £85 million move from West Ham to Spurs on Thursday despite being one of United's top transfer targets this summer. He held extensive discussions with club bosses in recent weeks, and United could offer Champions League football after finishing third last season, while Spurs finished 17th.
It is understood that Fernandes, like Gascoigne, accepted the better financial package. Reports also suggest United were unwilling to match the £85 million Spurs were prepared to pay upfront.
What happened with Gascoigne?
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Gascoigne recalled how Sir Alex Ferguson called and said: "I want to sign you." Gascoigne agreed and told his dad he was going to Old Trafford.
Then the phone rang. It was Irving Scholar, the former Tottenham chairman.
Gascoigne said: "I said, 'Dad, it's Tottenham', and he said, 'Tell them to f*** off, you're signing for Man United.' So I said, 'F*** off, I'm signing for Man United.' So Irving says, 'Tell your dad I'll give him £120,000.' So I said, 'Dad, they're going to give you £120,000 if I sign for Tottenham,' and he went, 'What are you waiting for then son?'"
His dad then demanded a BMW soft-top with a private registration plate. Scholar agreed. Then Gascoigne's sister called and asked for a sunbed.
"So the deal was done on the sunbed," Gascoigne said.
Does he regret it?
Gascoigne won the FA Cup with Spurs in 1991. But he has always maintained that not joining United was his biggest footballing regret.
He said in 2015: "Sometimes I do look back and think, what would have been if... would I have won all those trophies. When I signed for Spurs, Man United became great, and they started winning everything. It's probably one of the regrets I have."
Sir Alex also described not signing Gazza as the biggest disappointment of his managerial career.
Gascoigne recalled: "I went and signed for Spurs, and then I got fan mail. The first letter was from Sir Alex Ferguson. It wasn't a good letter. I got caned."
What does this mean for Fernandes?
The parallel is not exact. Fernandes is joining a Spurs side managed by Roberto De Zerbi, who made several personal phone calls to convince him. The circumstances of modern football are different.
But the cautionary tale remains: Gascoigne chose the money over the trophies and has spent decades wondering what might have been.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has Mateus Fernandes signed for?
- The midfielder has joined Tottenham Hotspur in an £85 million transfer, despite strong interest and extensive talks with Manchester United.
- Why did Fernandes choose Tottenham over Manchester United?
- Reports indicate that Tottenham offered a superior financial package and were willing to pay the £85 million fee upfront, which United declined to match.
- Why is the transfer being compared to Paul Gascoigne?
- In 1988, Paul Gascoigne famously rejected Manchester United to join Tottenham for financial reasons and family gifts, a decision he later admitted was his biggest career regret.