Mateus Fernandes receives Portugal reassurance despite difficult Tottenham start

Mateus Fernandes has endured a challenging opening few months at Tottenham following his £85million summer transfer, but Portugal have made clear that the midfielder remains firmly in their plans.

The 21-year-old missed Roberto Martínez's World Cup squad and has now also been left out of Jorge Jesus' first senior selection. For the moment, Fernandes has returned to Portugal's U21 setup.

His omission comes while his performances at Tottenham are under scrutiny following the club's difficult start under Roberto De Zerbi, but those within the Portuguese setup are not treating his return to the U21s as a major setback.

Jesus addressed Fernandes' situation when announcing his first Portugal squad and confirmed that the Tottenham midfielder remains under consideration.

“The players you just mentioned have also been under our observation,” Jesus said when questioned about Portugal's emerging talents.

The new manager has spoken regularly with U21 coach Luís Freire and indicated that his first selection was focused largely on the present while still keeping an eye on Portugal's future.

Only four new players were included in Jesus' first squad, suggesting Fernandes' absence is part of a broader preference for continuity rather than evidence that he has fallen out of the senior picture.

Freire offered further reassurance by confirming that both Fernandes and Rodrigo Mora are being monitored by Jesus.

“Mateus and Mora are being monitored by Jorge Jesus and they have a great space here to prove their worth,” he said.

Fernandes' situation has nevertheless changed considerably following his €98m (£85m) transfer to Tottenham.

That enormous investment inevitably creates expectations for a player who is still only 21, particularly after his rapid development previously earned him senior international recognition.

Portuguese newspaper A Bola described Fernandes as being “under fire at Tottenham” while discussing Jesus' selection and argued there is currently little reason to rush him back into the senior squad.

His return to the U21s therefore offers Fernandes an opportunity to rebuild momentum away from the pressure surrounding Tottenham's difficult opening weeks.

Portugal's message appears clear: Fernandes still has a pathway back into the senior team, but performances will ultimately determine how quickly he takes it.

Fernandes can now use Portugal U21 duty to rediscover some momentum before returning to Tottenham.

With Spurs also searching for improved results under De Zerbi, stronger performances at club level would provide the clearest route towards forcing his way into Jesus' senior Portugal plans.