Spurs smash transfer record with £100m Tonali deal as Everton secure George for £24m

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal worth up to £100m with Newcastle United for midfielder Sandro Tonali, breaking their transfer record for the second time this week. The 26-year-old Italian international will cost an initial £92.5m, with a further £7.5m in add-ons, after Spurs saw a previous bid of about £80m rejected. Manager Roberto de Zerbi identified Tonali as a target years ago while at Sassuolo, and the club have moved aggressively to land him. The deal tops the £85m agreement struck with West Ham for midfielder Mateus Fernandes earlier this week. De Zerbi, who kept Spurs up on the final day last season with a 1–0 win against Everton, said in his final news conference: "My target is to start the pre-season with the team I have in my dream." That dream is becoming reality after the arrivals of defenders Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers, plus the potential combined £237m outlay on centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke, Fernandes and Tonali. Spurs have finished 17th in back-to-back seasons but are benefiting from strong off-the-field revenues. Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan for £55m in July 2023. He was banned for 10 months by the Italian Football Federation for breaching betting rules shortly after his arrival, but returned to help Newcastle win their first major domestic trophy in 70 years – the 2025 Carabao Cup – and qualify for the Champions League. Newcastle, by contrast, have effectively needed to trade to reinvest, having already sold Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon (to Barcelona for £69.3m). The club are making positive progress in their bid to sign Hoffenheim's 20-year-old Ivory Coast winger Bazoumana Toure, and have so far only signed 20-year-old goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen this summer. Meanwhile, Everton have agreed a deal worth up to £24m to sign Chelsea winger Tyrique George. The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on Merseyside on loan with an option to buy for £25m. Everton renegotiated the fee to £18m upfront with a remaining £6m in add-ons based on European qualification and appearances. Chelsea have included a 15% sell-on clause. George made 11 appearances for Everton, starting once, and impressed manager David Moyes, who called him an "excellent boy with an excellent work-rate" at the end of his initial four-month spell. The England Under-21 international came through Chelsea's academy and has been available for transfer for the past 12 months, having held talks with RB Leipzig last summer while a £22m move to Fulham collapsed on transfer deadline day in September 2025. The deal is subject to personal terms and a medical. George will become Everton's second summer arrival after a £16m deal for Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough. German attacking midfielder Merlin Rohl has also made his loan move from SC Freiburg permanent, while Idrissa Gana Gueye and Seamus Coleman departed at the end of their contracts.