Manchester United refuses to sign M. Fernandes due to concerns he might repeat Sancho's mistakes; two new signings show stronger resolve.

ESPN reports that United's primary motive for abandoning the £85 million pursuit of Matheus Fernandes was the lack of perceived passion from the player to join their ranks. The organization worried that acquiring the 21-year-old Portuguese talent could lead to a repeat of Sancho's disappointing tenure.

Although there were claims that United's maximum offer was £80 million—lower than Tottenham's bid—and the club refused to match the £250,000 weekly wage, Rob Dawson believes money was not the deciding factor. The key issue was that Jim Ratcliffe's management team felt Fernandes' attitude was unclear, reminding them of the circumstances surrounding Sancho's transfer from Borussia Dortmund to United in 2021.

Back then, United spent £73 million to bring in Sancho, but his time at the club ended in failure. He fell out with manager Erik ten Hag, and after loan spells at Dortmund, Chelsea, and Aston Villa, none of those clubs opted to buy him. He eventually left on a free transfer when his contract expired this summer.

Consequently, United decided against pursuing Fernandes and instead used the £85 million that would have been spent on him to sign André Santos and Youri Tielemans. Unlike the West Ham midfielder, Santos from Chelsea and Tielemans from Aston Villa had no hesitation in joining United and were delighted to complete the transfers.

Ratcliffe and the United board believe that this positive attitude played a crucial role in the swift integration of last summer's signings, Cunha and Mbeumo, who quickly adapted to their new environment. The leadership feels that players should consider it an honor to play for United, not merely a contractual obligation, and the club prefers to bring in such determined individuals.

According to the Daily Mail, the 22-year-old Santos realized he was not a key figure at Chelsea, especially with the team missing out on European competition next season, which would reduce his playing time. With Moisés Caicedo renewing his contract and Enzo Fernández likely staying, his opportunities were set to diminish. Chelsea understood his decision and, weeks ago, agreed to let him and his agent seek a new club, ultimately leading to his move to United.

The 29-year-old Tielemans has been a United supporter since childhood, so when he learned of the Red Devils' interest, he immediately agreed to join, creating a stark contrast with Fernandes.

In this summer's frantic scramble for players, United CEO Omar Berrada and football director Jason Wilcox decided to remain calm. The club has often panicked in the past when missing out on target players, but sources indicate that this time Berrada and Wilcox were determined to avoid mistakes, treating the importance of making the right signings on par with avoiding errors.

United believes that by spending the same £85 million and a total weekly wage of £250,000 (Tielemans £200,000, Santos £100,000), they have ended up with a better midfield setup than if they had directly bought Fernandes. Of course, the final verdict may only be clear after next season's results.

Santos and Tielemans have already shot promotional posters for United's blue away kit, and they will strive to integrate quickly into their new club. Santos, who did not participate in the World Cup, has already joined the training camp. Tielemans, however, still needs to take a three-week vacation after the World Cup before officially joining the squad early next month.