Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has made Sandro Tonali his primary target to anchor an extensive summer rebuild following the club’s narrow escape from relegation. Newcastle United is completely opposed to letting the midfielder leave.
Newcastle holds total control over the situation. The club secured Tonali on a new contract running until 2029 without a release clause. Newcastle management handed him that extension during his 10-month global ban from football for illegal betting in 2024.
De Zerbi is prioritizing the move due to a shared heritage. Both the manager and Tonali are from Brescia, Italy, and De Zerbi views the midfielder as the ideal player to execute his tactical system. This specific connection is driving Tottenham’s aggressive entry into the transfer race.
Arsenal, Manchester City, and Manchester United all monitored Tonali previously. Spurs accelerated their pursuit after City shifted focus to a £100 million deal for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, while United secured Atalanta’s Ederson. City’s pending acquisition of Anderson is artificially inflating the market for elite midfielders. This means Spurs will have to pay an enormous premium to break Newcastle’s contract leverage.
The pursuit of Tonali is part of a wider roster overhaul in North London. Tottenham has already secured Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers. The front office is also navigating a £30 million bid from Brighton for teenage defender Luka Vuskovic.