Tottenham Target Sandro Tonali for £100m Move
Tottenham are testing the limits of their new ambition. The club have sounded out Sandro Tonali over a move from Newcastle United, with Roberto De Zerbi pushing hard for a marquee midfield signing to define his first summer in charge.
The answer from the player’s side has been encouraging. The price is anything but.
Newcastle are understood to want around £100 million for the Italy international – a huge profit on the £61m they paid AC Milan in 2023 – and, crucially, there has been no direct negotiation between the clubs yet. For now, the groundwork is being laid from London, with Spurs making an approach to Tonali’s camp and receiving a positive response about the idea of a move.
De Zerbi has already been backed. Tottenham have moved quickly to secure Andy Robertson and Marco Senesi on free transfers, shoring up both full-back and defensive depth. A £52m deal for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke is also close, underlining a clear intent to reshape the spine of the team before the season kicks off.
But this is the one De Zerbi wants. The one that changes the temperature around the club.
Tonali, 24, fits that brief. Since returning from his suspension for breaching gambling rules, he has re-established himself as a key figure at Newcastle, driving Eddie Howe’s side from midfield. Last season he scored three goals and provided seven assists in 53 appearances in all competitions, numbers that only hint at his influence in and out of possession.
Newcastle, though, hold most of the cards. Tonali signed a new contract in January, tying him to St James’ Park until 2029, with an option for a further year. That length of deal gives the club strong leverage in any talks and underpins their £100m valuation.
Inside the club, there is an acceptance that a major sale may be needed this summer to balance the books and keep within financial regulations. If it comes to that, they want a premium fee for one of their most valuable assets.
Howe has consistently played down any suggestion that Tonali is unsettled. Speaking in February, the Newcastle head coach was emphatic about the midfielder’s mindset.
“Sandro’s very happy here,” Howe said at the time. “He’s got a great relationship with me and his teammates and he seems really, really happy within himself. I don’t see an issue, but I’m not in control of everything. If I knew where everything [rumours] came from I’d be wiser.
“But Sandro is absolutely fine. I had discussions with him yesterday. His focus is on the here and now with us.
“There’s no issue with Sandro. He’s happy and committed. But our best players will always be attracting glances from other clubs – that’s just the reality of football.”
Those glances are now turning into concrete interest. Spurs are not alone: Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City have all previously been linked with Tonali, and any sign that Newcastle might soften their stance would draw immediate attention from the Premier League’s elite.
For Tottenham, the calculation is clear. Pay close to £100m and they land a Champions League-level midfielder in his prime years, someone De Zerbi believes can set the tone for his pressing, possession-heavy style. Walk away, and they risk watching a rival strengthen instead.
The early signals from Tonali’s camp suggest he is open to the project. The next move belongs to the clubs – and to Tottenham’s willingness to prove just how serious they are about stepping back into the game’s top tier.
