Tottenham's Pursuit of Sandro Tonali: A Key Move for De Zerbi

Tottenham are ready to test Newcastle’s resolve over Sandro Tonali, with Roberto De Zerbi pushing hard to make the Italian the heartbeat of his new-look midfield this summer.

De Zerbi has identified Tonali as a priority signing as he starts reshaping a Spurs squad that only just pulled clear of relegation last season. The brief from the head coach is clear: raise the technical ceiling, add control, and bring in a midfielder who can dictate games rather than simply survive them.

Tonali fits that profile perfectly. At his best, he sets the tempo, stitches play together and drags his team up the pitch. De Zerbi sees him as the player around whom he can build the entire structure of his side.

Newcastle’s hard line

Landing him will not be simple. Newcastle do not want to sell and are in a powerful position.

Tonali is under contract until 2029, a long-term deal he signed in 2024 while serving a 10‑month gambling ban. That contract does not contain a release clause, handing Newcastle full control over any negotiations and ensuring that only an enormous offer would even bring them to the table.

Inside the club, the stance is firm: they would only consider a “huge” fee. Losing one of the Premier League’s most complete midfielders is not part of their plan.

There is, though, an undercurrent that could encourage bidders. As reported in April, there was a general understanding that Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento might welcome a new challenge this summer. Gordon has already moved, completing a £69m transfer to Barcelona. The door, at least conceptually, is open for others.

A market shaped by City and United

Tonali’s standing in the division is reflected by the calibre of clubs that have tracked him. Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United have all had him high on their recruitment lists.

Right now, the path is clearer for Spurs than it might have been. City and United have turned their focus elsewhere in midfield. City are in talks with Nottingham Forest over Elliot Anderson in a deal expected to climb beyond £100m, a move that underlines just how inflated the market for top midfielders has become and will inevitably ripple across other negotiations.

United, meanwhile, have agreed a deal with Atalanta for Ederson and are now chasing West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes. With two of the traditional heavyweights occupied, Tottenham sense an opening.

If they move decisively, they may not face the full weight of competition that a player of Tonali’s profile usually attracts. The fee, though, will still be enormous.

Spurs’ rebuild under De Zerbi

Tottenham have wasted little time in backing their new manager. Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson have already arrived on free transfers, adding experience and reliability to a defence that creaked badly last season.

De Zerbi still wants another defender, with Spurs pursuing Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke. At the same time, Brighton have tested Tottenham’s own resolve with a £30m bid for teenage centre-back Luka Vuskovic. The 19‑year‑old impressed on loan at Hamburg and is keen on the move, but Spurs are unlikely to accept the current proposal.

All of this sits within a broader plan: build a squad capable of playing De Zerbi’s high‑risk, high‑control style. For that to work, the central midfielder at the base of the structure is non‑negotiable. That is where Tonali comes in.

Wide threat, goals – and a goalkeeper question

The rebuild does not stop in midfield. Spurs have been hunting for a winger to succeed Heung-Min Son for a year, but every chase has stalled. Attempts to sign Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo failed, and the search continues. Manchester City’s Savinho is among the options under consideration this summer.

De Zerbi also wants another striker, ideally one who can operate across the entire front line. Last season’s injury crisis exposed how thin Spurs were in attack; he wants flexibility and depth, not another year of patchwork solutions.

There is also uncertainty in goal. Guglielmo Vicario could return to Italy, with Juventus listing him as a potential target and Inter having shown interest previously. Antonin Kinsky finished the season as De Zerbi’s No 1, but if Vicario goes, Spurs may have to step back into a goalkeeper market that is rarely forgiving.

A statement window in the making

All of this points in one direction: Tottenham are preparing for a significant, expensive summer. De Zerbi has been promised strong backing, and a move for Tonali would be the clearest signal yet that the club intend to keep that promise.

Newcastle will resist. The fee will be eye-watering. The competition, even if distracted for now, will lurk in the background.

But if Spurs want to step out of survival mode and into a new era under De Zerbi, this is the kind of battle they have to win.