Sandro Tonali stood in front of the cameras at Tottenham's training ground, a club-record signing for the second time in a week. The 26-year-old Italian midfielder had just completed a £92.5m move from Newcastle, with add-ons potentially pushing the fee to £100m, making him Spurs' most expensive player in history. ‘I spoke to the head coach for close to two hours about the club, the fans, the stadium and our football,’ said Tonali, recalling his conversation with Roberto De Zerbi. ‘It was like magic because I knew immediately that I had to sign for Tottenham.’
Tonali arrived in north London after three turbulent seasons at St James' Park. He joined Newcastle from AC Milan for £55m in July 2023, but was soon hit with a 10-month ban by the Italian Football Federation for breaching betting rules. Upon his return, he became a key figure, helping the Magpies win the Carabao Cup in 2025 — their first major trophy in 70 years — and qualify for the Champions League. In total he made 110 appearances for Newcastle, scoring ten goals.
“Tottenham sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for club-record £100m after 'magic' talk with De Zerbi.”
Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League last season, two points above the relegation zone, and De Zerbi, who took over in March, narrowly saved them from the drop. Now the Italian manager is rebuilding aggressively. Tonali joins £85m midfielder Mateus Fernandes, signed from West Ham, as well as defenders Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers, and a £237m spending spree on three players including centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke.
‘Given his qualities, there was a lot of interest in Sandro this summer,’ said De Zerbi. ‘However, he was very clear in his desire to join Tottenham, and I know our fans will love what he brings to the team.’ Tonali's six-year contract could see his wages rise to £275,000 a week if Spurs achieve serial Champions League qualifications.
Newcastle, by contrast, have been forced to sell. After offloading Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for £69.3m and Alexander Isak, they now lose Tonali. The club have signed only 20-year-old goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen this summer and are chasing Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Toure. ‘Three years ago I came to Newcastle not really knowing what to expect,’ Tonali wrote in a farewell Instagram post. ‘Today it's time to say goodbye and it's hard to find the right words.’ He added a special tribute to manager Eddie Howe: ‘He's been a real guiding figure who always had my back.’
With De Zerbi's dream squad taking shape and Spurs' owners flexing their financial muscle, the question now is whether this aggressive strategy can pull a club that finished 17th back towards the top.