Tonali completes record £100m Tottenham move from Newcastle after De Zerbi chat

Sandro Tonali has completed a club-record £100million move to Tottenham Hotspur from Newcastle United, with the Italy midfielder revealing that a two-hour conversation with new Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi convinced him north London was his only destination.

According to the Daily Mail, Tottenham beat off competition from Premier League rivals Manchester City and Arsenal to land the 26-year-old, smashing the club’s previous transfer record in the process.

De Zerbi conversation sealed the deal

Speaking after finalising his switch to London on Monday, Tonali played down suggestions that he had been weighing up multiple offers before choosing his next club.

“People said about there being four or five clubs – there was only one,” Tonali said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

“I spoke to the head coach for close to two hours about the club, the fans, the stadium and our football. It was like magic because I knew immediately that I had to sign for Tottenham,” he added.

“I’m very happy to be here. When I arrived, it felt fantastic. I can’t wait to start the season,” Tonali said.

Shared roots with the new Spurs boss

The connection between player and manager runs deeper than a single conversation. Tonali came through the youth academy at Brescia, the northern Italian town where De Zerbi was born and raised, and the pair are also both former AC Milan players.

The Daily Mail reports that those shared ties played a significant part in De Zerbi personally driving the pursuit of his compatriot, with the Italian coach said to have followed Tonali’s career closely for some time before the move materialised.

A big-money exit from Newcastle

Tonali’s departure represents a significant piece of transfer business for Newcastle, who will banked a club-record fee in the region of £100million as Tottenham broke their own spending record to secure his signature.

Tottenham fans will now be eager to see how quickly the Italy international settles into De Zerbi’s system, with pre-season preparations under way as the club looks to build on last season and challenge at the top end of the Premier League table.

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