Tottenham Hotspur are set to break their transfer record for the second time in a matter of days after agreeing a deal worth up to £100 million with Newcastle United for Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali.
Spurs had previously seen an offer of around £80 million rejected, but negotiations have now resulted in an agreement worth £92.5 million upfront, with a further £7.5 million in performance-related add-ons.
The move comes just days after Tottenham agreed an £85 million deal with West Ham United for midfielder Mateus Fernandes, underlining the club’s ambitious summer transfer strategy.
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has long admired Tonali, having first identified his fellow Italian as a transfer target during his time at Sassuolo when the midfielder was starring in Serie A. The 25-year-old has remained high on De Zerbi’s wishlist ever since.
Manchester City and Arsenal were also credited with interest in Tonali earlier in the transfer window, but neither Premier League rival made a formal bid, allowing Spurs to secure one of Europe’s most sought-after midfielders.
De Zerbi’s Transfer Vision Taking Shape
Roberto De Zerbi made his intentions clear after securing Tottenham’s Premier League survival on the final day of last season with a 1-0 victory over Everton.
Rather than celebrating, the Italian immediately turned his focus to rebuilding the squad.
Speaking after the match, De Zerbi said his aim was to begin pre-season with the team he had “dreamed” of assembling—a vision that is rapidly becoming reality.
Tottenham have already strengthened with the free-transfer arrivals of defenders Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi, while the additions of Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali could see the club spend a combined £237 million this summer.
Despite finishing 17th in consecutive Premier League seasons, Spurs remain in a strong financial position thanks to impressive commercial revenues and are investing heavily as they look to return to the top half of the table.
Newcastle Face Busy Summer After Major Departures
For Newcastle United, Tonali’s departure represents another significant loss as the club continues to balance its finances.
The exits of Sandro Tonali, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon within the past year have left Eddie Howe’s side in need of major reinforcements ahead of the new campaign.
Newcastle have so far signed only 20-year-old goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, who is expected to begin the season as a backup and has yet to make a top-flight appearance.
Having also missed out on forward Victor Munoz, who joined Liverpool, Newcastle now face increasing pressure to strengthen their squad before pre-season gets underway, with little room for error in the remainder of the transfer window.