Sandro Tonali: Tottenham sign Italy midfielder from Newcastle in club-record £100m deal | football news

Tottenham have signed Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United in a club-record £100 million deal.

The midfielder, who is expected to earn more than £275,000-a-week, was keen to work under Spurs boss and fellow Italian Roberto Di Zarbi despite interest from elsewhere, including Manchester City.

It is Newcastle’s second highest fee for any player. Liverpool paid £125m for Alexander Isak last summer.

Spurs have broken their transfer record for the second time in the space of a week after making an £85m signing Matthew Fernandes from West Ham on Tuesday.

The arrivals of Fernandes and Tonali put the north London club through a £200m barrier this summer.

Spurs splashed £52m on the defender Jan Paul van Hecke From Brighton, they brought it too Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi And Martin Dubravka All free transfers.

It signals a major shift in transfer strategy from the club after they narrowly escaped relegation on the final day of last season and finished 17th in the Premier League.

The Fernandes and Tonali deals come after Spurs Defender agrees to sell Luka Vuskovic £50m in Brighton.

Tonali: Newcastle gave me more than football – it gave me a home

The Italian midfielder bid farewell to Newcastle in a post on Instagram. He said: “I came to Newcastle three years ago not really knowing what to expect. Today is the time to say goodbye and it’s hard to find the right words.

“I want to start by thanking the club. Everyone who works every day and no one sees at the training ground, everyone who has welcomed me and made me feel at home from day one. Thanks to the staff and my team-mates for believing in me and helping me grow. A special mention to the gaffer, Eddie, who has been a real guide and has always been behind me on this journey.

“But most of all, I want to speak directly to the fans. When things were difficult for me, you were there. Not for one day did I feel alone. I felt that every time I was at St James’ Park. It’s something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

“Together, we achieved something this city has been waiting for for decades. That day at Wembley was special, a historic moment we shared together. To the fans who never stopped believing, who never stopped cheering for this club, who were there through the tough times, that trophy was for you.

“The game brought me to Newcastle. Today I leave with my wife and our son, born in my time here. This city has given me more than football. It has given me a home, moments I will cherish forever, and for whom I will always be grateful.

“Thank you for everything.”

‘Tonali is a proper midfielder – Spurs will have a good season next year’

Sky Sports’ Paul Merson on Spurs’ summer dealings:

“Tonali is a very good signing, he’s one of my favorite players in the Premier League, he’s a proper, proper midfielder.

“Whenever I’ve watched Tottenham, I always think they run a bit too much in midfield, they never dominate games.

“They’ve got good centre-halves and forwards when they’re all fit, but they can never dominate in midfield and the manager (Roberto Di Zerbi) has come in and highlighted that and he’s brought in two very good midfield players.

I expect them to have a good season next year, but I wonder if Aston Villa’s performance against Tottenham at the end of last season will haunt them. They were beaten comfortably and arguably could have left Tottenham with a better result. If the race for a Champions League place drops to fourth or fifth next season, that fixture could prove to be a costly missed opportunity.

But he (de Zerby) has bought very well at the moment.

What does the Tonali deal mean for Newcastle?

Newcastle signed Tonali from AC Milan in a £55m deal in the summer of 2023 but are now set to make a £45m profit on him.

It is understood the club believe they are getting a strong fee for Tonali and believe they can achieve the full £100million.

The feeling is that this will allow the club to strengthen multiple positions with high-potential players

It is the club’s second biggest sale behind Liverpool’s £125m payment for Alexander Isak.

And the potential sale is already being felt, with Newcastle agreeing a fee with Hoffenheim for the winger. Bajumana Tore

They are in advanced talks with the German club for the Ivory Coast international, but a deal is yet to be finalised. All going well, Toure is set to be the first of several new signings through the door

Meanwhile, Newcastle Spurs have not made a bid for the midfielder Archie Gray, According to sources from both clubs.

Spurs’ transfer deals so far

Andy Robertson – Liverpool, free

Marcos Senesi – Bournemouth, Free

Martin Dubravka – Burnley, free

Jan Paul van Hecke – Brighton, £52m

Matthew Fernandes – West Ham, £85m

Sandro Tonali – Newcastle, £100m

Total transfer cost so far: £237m

How can Spurs afford to play this summer?

Analysis from Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridges:

The big change is the leadership’s willingness to spend on transfer fees and wages to compete with the top teams. After narrowly missing out on relegation, the message was ‘never again’.

Spurs have qualified for European football in 17 out of 20 years. Their wage-to-turnover ratio was among the lowest in the league over the past few years.

They have invested well in the local area in terms of land, built the best stadium. That stadium is arguably one of the best in the world, and it’s generating incredible revenue.

There has been criticism from Spurs supporters in the past that they don’t see that money being spent on the pitch.

The promise of the Lewis family, Vinay Venkatesham and Peter Charrington is that they will do it up front and use things like the stadium to improve the first team. This will be a big boost to their spending.

There will also be sales this summer, which will be necessary in terms of making room in the squad for all these new signings and having fewer games to contend with after being eliminated from Europe.

If you look at the players who could go – Lukas Bergval, Luka Vuskovic, Cristian Romero, Pep Mata Sar, Richarlison – that could raise a lot of money for Spurs.

The Luiz family injected £100m into the club this summer – and that takes them up to £200m from 2025 – but that was for the day-to-day running of the club rather than transfer costs.