Tottenham Hotspur Set to Smash Transfer Record Again for Sandro Tonali
Quick Look
- Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly close to agreeing a deal worth up to £100m for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, which would break their transfer record for the second time this week.
- Manager Roberto De Zerbi has long admired the Italian, having previously identified him as a target.
- The club has also secured free transfers for Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi, and could spend a total of £237m on new signings.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tottenham Hotspur are looking to significantly strengthen their squad after finishing 17th in consecutive seasons, while Newcastle United need to reinvest funds from player sales.
Tottenham Hotspur are set to smash their transfer record for a second time this week after agreeing a deal worth up to £100m with Newcastle United for midfielder Sandro Tonali.
Spurs previously had a bid of about £80m rejected by Newcastle, but are now set to pay an initial £92.5m plus a further £7.5m in add-ons.
BBC Sport previously reported how manager Roberto De Zerbi is a long-time admirer of the Italian.
De Zerbi identified his countryman as a target during his time in charge of Sassuolo several years ago when Tonali was playing in Serie A.
And Spurs will now top the £85m agreement struck with West Ham this week for midfielder Mateus Fernandes in order to bring Tonali to North London.
Manchester City and Arsenal also showed an interest in Tonali, as BBC Sport previously reported, but neither club made a formal approach.
De Zerbi could not have been clearer.
The Spurs manager had just kept his side up on the final day, following a 1-0 win against Everton, but this was not a time for celebration.
He was already looking ahead to the summer to ensure the club were never in this situation again.
"My target is to start the pre-season with the team I have in my dream," he said in his final news conference last season.
That dream is quickly becoming a reality for the Italian following an aggressive start to the window from Spurs.
Defenders Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have arrived on free transfers and the club could end up spending a combined £237m on centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke and midfielders Fernandes and Tonali.
Spurs may have finished in 17th in back-to-back seasons, but the club are feeling the benefit of strong off-the-field revenues as they look to bounce back.
Newcastle, by contrast, have effectively needed to trade to reinvest.
The sight of Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Tonali all leaving the club in the space of less than a year is sobering.
So the spotlight will very much now be on incomings.
After missing out on forward Victor Munoz, who joined Liverpool, Newcastle need reinforcements.
The club have only signed 20-year-old goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, who will likely start the season as a deputy, having never played top-flight football before.
There is little margin for error with pre-season right around the corner.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Newcastle United will sign at least one more key player before the transfer window closes.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Will Newcastle find suitable replacements?
- Can Spurs justify the high spending?
- How will Tonali adapt to Spurs?
