Tottenham Hotspur has reached an agreement with Newcastle United for midfielder Sandro Tonali in a deal that could be worth up to £100m. The transfer is set to become a club record for Tottenham, surpassing their recent £85m agreement for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
The initial fee for Tonali is reported to be £92.5m, with an additional £7.5m in add-ons, contingent on Tottenham achieving multiple Champions League qualifications. Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi is said to have identified Tonali as a key target, intending to rebuild his squad around the Italian international.
Tonali, who was also of interest to Manchester City and Arsenal, has reportedly agreed to terms with Tottenham, including a significant wage increase and a six-year contract. The midfielder joined Newcastle from AC Milan in July 2023 for £55m.
Tonali’s impact and Newcastle’s position
During his time at Newcastle, Tonali faced a 10-month ban from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for breaching betting rules shortly after his arrival. Following his return to action in August 2024, he played a crucial role in the club’s success.
Tonali helped Newcastle secure their first major domestic trophy in 70 years, the 2025 Carabao Cup. He was also influential in the club’s qualification for the Champions League in the same season. Despite reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League this spring, Newcastle finished 12th in the Premier League, with Tonali’s form reportedly declining as his future at the club became uncertain.
The sale of Tonali follows other significant departures from Newcastle, including Anthony Gordon to Barcelona in May and Alexander Isak to Liverpool last summer. These sales indicate a shift for the team built by manager Eddie Howe since November 2021.
Concerns have been raised among Newcastle regulars regarding a lack of new signings, especially with midfielder Bruno Guimarães reportedly attracting interest from Arsenal. The club’s commercial revenues are considered low compared to other top-tier teams, necessitating sales to comply with European and domestic spending regulations.
Tottenham’s busy transfer window
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has been actively strengthening his squad after the club finished 17th in the previous season. In addition to Tonali and Fernandes, Spurs have acquired defenders Andy Robertson and Marco Senesi on free transfers from Liverpool and Bournemouth, respectively.
The club also signed Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £52m. This aggressive start to the transfer window reflects De Zerbi’s stated goal of building his dream team for the upcoming season.
In another transfer development, Tottenham agreed to sell centre-back Luka Vuskovic to Brighton in a deal worth £50m. Vuskovic, who was part of the Croatia squad at the World Cup, was originally bought by Spurs for £10m from Hajduk Split last summer but never played for the club, having been loaned to Hamburg last season.
Brighton has agreed to pay £46m upfront plus £4m in achievable add-ons for Vuskovic. Tottenham retains matching rights if Brighton decides to sell Vuskovic in the future, along with a 20% sell-on clause if he moves to another club. The 19-year-old became Croatia’s youngest World Cup player when he started against England.
Newcastle, meanwhile, is expected to pursue Freiburg’s 20-year-old Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi as a potential replacement for Tonali, and is also seeking a winger, with Hoffenheim’s 20-year-old Côte d’Ivoire international Bazoumana Touré reportedly high on Howe’s shortlist. Additionally, Newcastle’s manager is anticipated to pursue Manchester City’s England goalkeeper James Trafford once the World Cup concludes.
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Source: bbc.com
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Charlie Bradshaw is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with ten years of reporting experience. He covered Merseyside football before going national. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Liverpool John Moores University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Liverpool, he watches non-league sides and collects old match programmes. “The back page is only ever half the story.”