Sandro Tonali to Spurs: £100m Deal Highlights De Zerbi’s Midfield Revolution

Tottenham have completed the signing of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United for a club-record £100 million, making the Italy international the centerpiece of head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s summer rebuild. At 26, Tonali arrives in north London as a proven elite midfielder, entering his peak years after three seasons at St. James’ Park. Newcastle, meanwhile, will feel they have done excellent business, nearly doubling the fee they paid AC Milan in 2023. Tonali was a key figure for Eddie Howe but lacked consistency last season. De Zerbi, who grew up in Brescia—the same city where Tonali began his career—played a decisive role in convincing the player to move. “He made a huge difference,” Tonali told broadcaster in Italy. “He acted as a fellow native of Brescia and a friend, but he also demonstrated that he had a lot of work behind him, and that he is committed to it.” The transfer is part of an exhaustive overhaul at Spurs, who have now added six new faces this summer. Tonali’s technical quality immediately addresses a glaring weakness in last season’s midfield. According to Opta data, he made roughly twice as many passes into the final third and significantly more line-breaking passes than Rodrigo Bentancur or Joao Palhinha, Spurs’ most-used central midfield pairing last season. His willingness to progress the ball aggressively fits perfectly with De Zerbi’s philosophy—which also explains the acquisitions of centre-backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Sensei, both among the Premier League’s most ambitious passers. Physicality is another key upgrade. Tonali’s top speed of 36.06 km/h last season ranked 14th among all 551 Premier League players and first among central midfielders. Eddie Howe highlighted that athleticism: “With the number of times that he reads the game, reads where the ball is going to drop and is there first, you realise it’s a massive skill.” Defensively, Tonali made 144 tracking-back runs—the highest by any Newcastle player and seventh-highest in the league. Durability also stands out. Since returning from a 10-month betting ban in August 2025, Tonali has played nearly 80% of Premier League minutes, behind only Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn among Newcastle teammates. Former Italy boss Luciano Spalletti has previously praised his consistency and intelligence. media pundit Jamie Carragher summed up the signing: “Tonali is a midfielder I really rate. He’s got great pace and great power in midfield. He’s certainly a player I looked at thinking about Liverpool.”