Tottenham seal club-record £100m Tonali signing to complete midfield revamp

Tottenham have completed the signing of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle in a club-record deal worth up to £100 million, the Premier League clubs confirmed on Monday. The agreement was finalised last Wednesday, with Spurs paying an initial £92.5 million plus £7.5 million in add-ons.

The 26-year-old Italian midfielder was described as the top priority for head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who spoke with Tonali for nearly two hours before the player committed to the move. “I spoke to the head coach for close to two hours about the club, the fans, the stadium and our football,” Tonali said on the official club website. “It was like magic because I knew immediately that I had to sign for Tottenham. I can’t wait to start the season.”

De Zerbi, who grew up in Brescia — the club where Tonali began his career — made no secret of his long-standing admiration for the player. “Sandro is a special player and a great signing for our club,” the manager said. “I have followed him for a long time, as he came through the youth system at my hometown club, Brescia, and I’m so happy to be working with him now.”

The deal is the centrepiece of an ambitious summer at Spurs. It follows the £85 million signing of Mateus Fernandes, announced last Thursday, and Jan Paul van Hecke’s £52 million arrival from Brighton earlier in the window. Free agents Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson, and Marcos Senesi have also joined, bringing total expenditure to £237 million.

Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan in 2023 but saw his debut season at St James’ Park derailed by a worldwide 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations during his time in Italy. He returned to play a significant role in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup victory at Wembley before this move to north London.

In a farewell message on Instagram, Tonali paid tribute to the Newcastle supporters. “Three years ago I came to Newcastle not really knowing what to expect,” he wrote. “When things were hard for me, you were there. Not for one day did I feel alone. I felt it every time I was at St James’ Park. That’s something I will carry with me.”