Spurs Land Tonali in £100m Deal
Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement with Newcastle United to sign Sandro Tonali in a deal worth £100 million, including add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano. The move continues Spurs' ambitious summer rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi after agreements for Mateus Fernandes and several defensive reinforcements.
Tonali and family will travel to London today to complete the medicals and sign the contract with Tottenham Hotspur.
De Zerbi's Influence Proves Decisive
Manchester City was the frontrunner to sign Sandro Tonali in the beginning, but Spurs entered the race and leveraged the close relationship between De Zerbi and Sandro Tonali to convince the player to move to the north London club. Both De Zerbi and Tonali are from Brescia; this connection was pivotal in the deal.
Newcastle United was already preparing for the big-money departure of Sandro Tonali to rebuild the team with a new project with a set of youngsters aiming to win the league in 2030 under Eddie Howe, so Newcastle United had already identified a successor of Tonali before this agreement, as per The Telegraph's earlier reports.
Why Tonali Fits De Zerbi's System
Sandro Tonali could provide versatility in the middle of the pitch with the ability to play as a defensive and central midfielder with this outstanding quality on the ball. After his arrival at Newcastle United, he was deployed as a central midfielder with offensive duties by Eddie Howe, but last season he became the pivot for the midfield behind Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton.
He shined in both roles, demonstrating on-the-ball and off-the-ball qualities. He is an elite passer and carrier of the ball in the middle. Tonali showed excellence in both short passes and long passes, along with the ability to trouble opponent defense by making late runs into the penalty area and taking long-range shots. The Italian midfielder also has the defensive discipline and awareness to cope with high-intensity pressing.
Spurs' Summer Rebuild Continues
The Spurs, controlled by the Lewis family, have already injected £237 million to rebuild the team following narrow escapes from relegation in consecutive seasons. Tonali is expected to become the focal point of De Zerbi's midfield and one of the marquee signings of Spurs' rebuild.
De Zerbi still expected to add another two or three players before the transfer window closes as he targets a return to the Champions League.