Tonali to Spurs for £92.5m as United miss out on Fernandes and eye Nmecha

Tottenham Hotspur have struck a deal worth up to £100 million to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United, ending Manchester United’s hopes of landing the Italy international and reshaping the summer midfield market at the top of the Premier League.

Spurs will pay an initial £92.5m for Tonali, with a further £7.5m in add-ons tied to multiple Champions League qualifications. Newcastle had already rejected two bids from Tottenham before the clubs reached an agreement, with personal terms between Tonali and Spurs never considered a significant obstacle.

United’s summer business has been further complicated by the collapse of their interest in West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who has also agreed to join Tottenham in a separate £85m deal and was reported to be undergoing his medical on Wednesday. The Portuguese midfielder had been considered a priority target for the club.

In response, United have turned their attention to a number of alternatives. Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha is among the most prominent, with Liverpool and Manchester City also linked with the German international as Dortmund brace for offers. Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi, a Morocco youth international, has also emerged as a target, though he is expected to cost at least £69m and faces competition from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and City.

French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott have been identified as further options, though Scott is also attracting interest from Arsenal and has been linked with Liverpool.

On the positive side, United have already agreed a deal with Atalanta for midfielder Ederson, who is set to become the first signing of the Michael Carrick era at Old Trafford.

Defensively, former United manager Ruben Amorim is reportedly eyeing Lisandro Martinez as he looks to rebuild AC Milan’s backline, which could prompt United to reassess their own defensive resources.

In the goalkeeping market, United are among the clubs monitoring Karl Darlow, who is available on a free transfer. Leeds have offered Darlow a new contract, but he is weighing his options. United face competition from Everton, with uncertainty surrounding both Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana’s futures at Old Trafford adding urgency to the search.