Spurs Seal Record £100m Tonali Deal as Summer Spending Spree Accelerates
The Italy midfielder’s arrival for an initial £92.5m plus add-ons caps a dramatic overhaul at Tottenham, who have already committed over £200m to new signings under Roberto De Zerbi.
Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a club-record £100 million fee for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, the second time in 48 hours the north London club has shattered its transfer ceiling. The deal, structured as an initial £92.5 million with a further £7.5 million in performance-related add-ons, was confirmed by multiple British media outlets on Wednesday. Tonali, 26, opted to join his compatriot De Zerbi despite rival interest from Premier League champions Arsenal and Manchester City, a decision viewed in Italy as a reunion that will define Spurs’ midfield.
The Tonali coup follows Tuesday’s £85 million agreement for West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes and comes after £52 million was spent on Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke. Free transfers for Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka have already been completed. The outlay signals a sharp strategic shift under the Lewis family, Tottenham’s majority owners, who promised a rebuild after inviting chairman Daniel Levy to step down in September. De Zerbi, who steered the club to safety on the final day of last season, has been handed resources that analysts in London note are unprecedented in the club’s modern history.
From an Italian perspective, the transfer makes Tonali the most expensive Italian footballer ever, eclipsing the €61 million Mateo Retegui commanded last year. Italian media highlight that four of the five costliest Italian transfers have been to Premier League sides, a gap Serie A clubs cannot bridge. Tonali’s career was interrupted by a 10-month worldwide ban for gambling breaches imposed by the Italian federation in October 2023, and a suspended two-month ban from the English FA in May 2024. He had joined Newcastle from AC Milan for £55 million in July 2023.
Spurs are not finished. They are pursuing Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, rated at over £80 million, and Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, while young centre-back Luka Vuskovic is set to join Brighton for up to £50 million. The total summer outlay could approach £350 million, a figure that underlines the club’s determination to avoid a third consecutive relegation battle. De Zerbi wants all major signings in place for pre-season, and the Tonali deal brings that ambition sharply into focus.
How the same story is told elsewhere.
2 editorial groups · 4 languages
Sandro Tonali becomes the most expensive Italian player in history, with a transfer worth 116 million euros. Roberto De Zerbi pushed hard to bring the midfielder to Tottenham, beating out rival English giants. The deal marks a proud moment for Italian football, as one of its own is valued at unprecedented levels.
Tottenham break their transfer record for the second time in days, committing £100 million to Sandro Tonali. The club's leadership is executing a lavish spending spree that marks a sharp strategic shift from the previous regime. Questions linger about the sustainability of such aggressive outlay, even as the squad undergoes a deep overhaul.
Broaden your view
Trump Debuts Qatar-Gifted Air Force One Amid Bipartisan Ethics Scrutiny
10 languages · 26 outlets
From Economy & MarketsUS declines to extend USMCA, triggering annual reviews and a decade of trade uncertainty
7 languages · 32 outlets
From TechnologyIndia orders WhatsApp to halt username feature over fraud fears
3 languages · 15 outlets