Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United in a transfer package that could rise to £100m.
The deal, if completed, will become a new club-record transfer for the north London side. Tottenham are expected to pay an initial £92.5m for the Italy midfielder, with a further £7.5m in add-ons linked to future Champions League qualification.
The move underlines Tottenham’s aggressive summer rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi, with the club determined to move on from two poor Premier League campaigns and return to the fight for European football.
Tonali is expected to become one of the centrepieces of De Zerbi’s new-look midfield. The 26-year-old brings Premier League experience, technical quality, energy and strong passing ability, all of which should help Tottenham improve their control in central areas.
Spurs had already moved to strengthen their squad with Andy Robertson and Marco Senesi arriving as free agents, while Jan Paul van Hecke joined from Brighton & Hove Albion. Tottenham have also agreed a major deal for Mateus Fernandes, meaning Tonali’s arrival would add even more depth and quality to their midfield.
The current Tottenham midfield already includes Conor Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall. However, Bergvall is understood to be looking for a new challenge, which could create room for further reshaping before the window closes.
Tonali made 53 appearances for Newcastle last season, scoring three goals as the club finished 12th in the Premier League and reached the last 16 of the Champions League.
He joined Newcastle from AC Milan in 2023 in a big-money move but endured a difficult start in England after receiving a 10-month suspension for breaching betting rules in Italy. Since returning, he has rebuilt his career strongly and became a key figure in Eddie Howe’s midfield.
His partnership with Bruno Guimaraes gave Newcastle balance, aggression and creativity in the middle of the park. Losing him will be a major blow for the Magpies, especially after other high-profile departures in recent windows.
For Newcastle, the sale may not look good from a sporting perspective, but it reflects the financial reality facing the club. The money from Tonali’s departure gives them room to reinvest in several areas of the squad, with a goalkeeper, full-backs, midfielders and attacking reinforcements expected to be on their agenda.
The optics are difficult for Newcastle supporters. Tonali was one of their best midfielders and moving to Tottenham, a direct Premier League rival, will raise questions about the club’s ambition and squad planning.
For Tottenham, however, this is a statement signing. Beating other interested clubs to a player of Tonali’s level shows serious intent from the ownership and the coaching staff.
De Zerbi will now have a midfielder who understands the demands of possession football, can progress play under pressure and has the physical presence to compete in the Premier League.
Tottenham’s summer spending is now moving towards huge levels, but the club appear willing to back their manager heavily as they try to rebuild quickly.
Tonali’s arrival would not solve every issue, especially with attacking reinforcements still needed, but it gives Tottenham a stronger foundation in midfield.
If the deal is completed, Spurs will have secured one of the Premier League’s most complete central midfielders and sent a clear message that they want to return to the top end of English football.
