Tottenham Hotspur will need to splash out as much as £100 million if they are to complete a move for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali this summer. Spurs have been strongly linked with the Italian as Roberto De Zerbi looks to bolster his ranks.
Tottenham's Transfer Activity
Tottenham have already hit the ground running in the transfer window, wrapping up the free transfers of Andy Robertson and Marco Senesi. They are also on the verge of securing Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke in a £52 million deal. However, they are widely expected to make further moves over the coming weeks.
Tottenham have made an approach to Tonali's representatives regarding a potential switch, and have been met with an encouraging response. The Times reports that De Zerbi views Tonali as the marquee signing he is determined to land. While contact has been made with the player, formal discussions with Newcastle are yet to take place.
Newcastle's Demands
Eddie Howe's side are said to have come to terms with the likelihood of selling the midfielder this summer, but are intent on turning a substantial profit on the £61 million they shelled out for him in 2023. It is reported that the club are demanding around £100 million for his services.
Tonali put pen to paper on a new contract back in January, keeping him at St James' Park until 2029, with both parties holding the option to extend by a further year.
Interest from Other Clubs
Spurs are far from alone in their pursuit of the midfielder, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City all previously touted as potential suitors for Tonali. The Italian midfielder has been instrumental for Newcastle since his return from a ban imposed for breaching gambling regulations. During last season, he notched three goals and laid on seven assists across 53 appearances in all competitions.
Howe's Comments
Newcastle boss Howe offered an insight into Tonali's future back in February. "Sandro's very happy here," he said. "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."
