Spurs close in on record-breaking Sandro Tonali deal despite Man City hijack

De Zerbi Gets His Man as Spurs Close In

Roberto De Zerbi is on the verge of pulling off the biggest coup of his Tottenham tenure. According to Tier 2 reporter Nicolo Schira, Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is closing in on a move to north London. The agreement is personal and complete, tying the Italian midfielder to a massive contract until 2032 with a salary of €12 million net per year.

Negotiations between Newcastle and Tottenham are advanced, with the final transfer fee expected to exceed €100 million. As reported by Football365, Spurs are driving to get the deal wrapped up this week. De Zerbi personally intervened in the negotiations, pitching his tactical project directly to Tonali to fend off two rival English clubs.

For Newcastle, the decision to cash in on Tonali represents a pragmatic shift in their financial planning. The Magpies had to navigate strict profit and sustainability constraints, and selling a high-value asset provides immediate accounting relief. By waiting until after the June 30 accounting deadline, Newcastle can book this massive sale in the 2026-27 financial year.

The deal represents a significant shift in Tottenham's ambition, but it is also an enormous financial gamble. The North London club has never handed out an eight-year contract of this size. It is a high-risk play for a player who is still re-establishing his consistency in England.

The Tactical Fit in the New-Look Tottenham Midfield

Tonali is not arriving to sit on the bench. He will step straight into a completely rebuilt engine room. Spurs have already completed the signing of West Ham midfielder Matheus Fernandes for a guaranteed £85 million fee, beating Manchester United to his signature. Fabrizio Romano confirmed the Fernandes deal, quoting the West Ham hierarchy's relief at securing a fixed fee with no complex add-ons.

“It’s done—Matheus Fernandes will play for Tottenham Hotspur and not for Manchester United.”

In De Zerbi’s preferred double-pivot, Tonali will provide the physical bite and progressive passing to complement Fernandes' ball-carrying ability. The Italian midfielder possesses the tactical intelligence to drop deep, receive under pressure, and launch vertical passes to break opposition lines. This pairing will replace the functional but limited midfield units of Tottenham's recent past.

Tottenham's tactical identity under De Zerbi relies heavily on midfielders who can bait the opposition press. Both Tonali and Fernandes excel at playing in tight spaces under heavy pressure. They represent a significant upgrade over other options like Lucas Bergvall, who may struggle to cope with the physical demands of De Zerbi's system in transition.

However, fitting these expensive pieces together will test De Zerbi's tactical coaching. Tottenham struggled with defensive transitions last season, often leaving their backline exposed. Adding two aggressive, forward-thinking midfielders could exacerbate these issues if the defensive balance is not carefully managed.

Man City's Shadow and the £116m Elliot Anderson Ripple Effect

The main threat to Tottenham's plans comes from Manchester City. Spanish outlet Marca reported that City are prepared to hijack the deal with a bid of over €110 million. But City's transfer priorities tell a different story.

City are in the middle of a major squad overhaul today. Long-time servants John Stones and Bernardo Silva have officially departed the club following the expiry of their contracts. Silva has signed a two-year contract with Real Madrid, while Stones, who won six Premier League titles during a decade at the Etihad, is focusing on England's World Cup campaign before deciding his next move.

City have also allowed academy graduates Ashton Muir and Ezra Carrington to leave today after their development was slowed by persistent injuries. These exits represent a clear changing of the guard under Pep Guardiola. The club is moving away from the stalwarts who defined their recent success to construct a younger, more dynamic core.

These departures free up around £550,000 per week in wages, but City have already allocated those resources elsewhere. As Mirror Football reported, Pep Guardiola's side has agreed a record-breaking deal worth £116 million to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson. The 23-year-old midfielder underwent his medical at England's training base in Dallas on Sunday and is set to be announced after England's World Cup knockout match against DR Congo.

With Anderson arriving as the direct successor to Bernardo Silva, City's link to Tonali looks more like agent talk than a concrete pursuit. The Premier League champions are unlikely to commit another €110 million to a midfield position when they have other areas of the squad to address after the exits of Stones and Silva.

Tottenham's Aggressive Summer Rebuild

The pursuit of Tonali is the crowning piece of an unprecedented spending spree by the Tottenham board. Spurs have already added Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton in a £52 million deal to bolster their central defence. They have also picked up left-back Andy Robertson from Liverpool, defender Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth, and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from Burnley, all on free transfers.

These arrivals point to a manager who has been given total control over recruitment. De Zerbi was pushing behind the scenes for Fernandes, and he has done the same for Tonali. The board has backed him with over £200 million in guaranteed fees alone, a level of backing that will bring intense pressure from the opening day of the season.

This level of control represents a departure from Tottenham's traditional transfer strategy under Daniel Levy. The club has historically avoided bidding wars and massive wage packages for players in their prime. By signing off on these deals, Levy is placing his entire faith in De Zerbi's tactical vision.

If the Tonali transfer crosses the line, Tottenham's net spend will dwarf almost every other club in Europe this summer. For a team that barely scraped into European competition on the final day of the last Premier League campaign, there will be no excuses for another slow start.

Probability and Timeline

The deal has a strong chance of completion, currently sitting at an 85% probability. Schira's reporting indicates that the player agreement is locked in, leaving only the final payment structure between Newcastle and Tottenham to be resolved. Newcastle's PSR situation means they are willing sellers if the €100 million valuation is met in full.

As Daily Mail notes, clubs are rushing to register deals in the new accounting period. Tottenham expect to finalize negotiations by Friday, with Tonali scheduled to travel for a medical immediately after Italy's next World Cup commitment.

Expected Impact

If Tottenham secure Tonali, they will possess one of the most dynamic young midfields in European football. The partnership of Tonali and Fernandes gives De Zerbi the technical base to implement his possession-heavy style. They will no longer be overrun by the league's elite midfields.

Defensively, Tonali provides the protection that Tottenham's backline desperately missed last season. His ability to cover ground and win duels will allow De Zerbi's full-backs to push high up the pitch. The tactical flexibility he offers makes Tottenham genuine contenders for a top-four spot next season.