Matheus Fernandes arrived at Tottenham Hotspur this summer as one of the most coveted midfielders in England, and it did not take long for him to explain why he chose north London over every other option. The answer, he says, is Roberto De Zerbi.

"I spoke with the Mister and he was the key for this decision," Fernandes told Sky Sports ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Everton. "You can feel when you speak with him, the energy, the passion about football."

A personal touch from De Zerbi

The Italian head coach went beyond the standard sales pitch. Fernandes revealed that De Zerbi held conversations not only with him, but with his father and mother — a gesture the 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder found particularly striking.

"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'll take care' of me," Fernandes recalled. "He's a top manager. You can feel it on the pitch, off the pitch as well. And I'm very happy to work with him."

Fernandes wasted no time making his appreciation clear when he finally met De Zerbi in person on the first day of pre-season. "I said, 'Look, I chose Tottenham because one of the biggest parts was you'," he said.

Beating out Manchester United

The £85 million signing had attracted interest from several clubs after a strong season at West Ham United, with Manchester United among the sides who pushed for his signature. Ultimately, Tottenham Hotspur won the race, and Fernandes insists De Zerbi's style of football was as persuasive as anything else.

"For me as a midfielder, I like so much," he said of the Italian's attacking approach.

Trophy ambitions despite a slow start

Tottenham Hotspur have taken just one point from their opening three Premier League matches this season, drawing widespread criticism. Fernandes, however, remains unfazed. He is at the club with a purpose.

"This is one of the reasons that I came here, to play for winning something," he said. "We want to win the games, we want to fight for the titles and, with this squad, it's normal that we want to fight for the titles."

The former West Ham United man also believes the quality of those around him at Spurs will push his own game to new heights. He scored three goals and registered four assists in the Premier League for the Hammers last season, but he expects to surpass that.

"I believe that I can be a much better player than I was last season. If you look at the squad, it's a big team with big players, important players, players with experience, players with a lot of quality. When you play with better players, I think you play better," he said.

Patience, belief, and ketchup

Fernandes has experienced relegation in each of his first two seasons in English football — first with Southampton, then with West Ham United. He is acutely aware of how quickly the narrative around a team can shift.

"I know what it's like: when you win, you are the best. When you lose, you are the worst," he acknowledged. "We just focus on us. If you believe in the club, if you believe in the manager, you know that you need to take some time to learn the timings, everything tactical, and when you arrive there, it's like ketchup. It starts spilling."

Tottenham Hotspur face Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, a game the club's players, staff, and supporters will hope marks the beginning of that momentum.