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Tonali joins Spurs after quick decision following meeting with De Zerbi

5 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Aug 1, 2026, 7:00 AM

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

Tonali joins Spurs after quick decision following meeting with De Zerbi

Summary

Sandro Tonali joined Tottenham Hotspur as a club-record signing from Newcastle, having made the decision in just 10 minutes following a meeting with manager Roberto de Zerbi. The 26-year-old cited a shared passion for Brescia, his boyhood club, as a significant factor in his decision. Despite interest from other teams, he felt positive about Tottenham after their initial chat. Tonali emphasized that moving to London was a minor part of his decision, with footballing factors playing a larger role. He acknowledged the pressure from his £100m transfer fee but is focused on contributing positively to Spurs.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports BBC Sport

By the Numbers

•Tonali signed for £100m, a club record for Spurs.
•He met with De Zerbi to discuss his future.
•Interest from other clubs exists but Spurs stood out.
•De Zerbi's connection to Brescia influenced the move.
•Tonali aims to adapt quickly to his new environment.

Latest Updates

7:00 AMYahoo Sports — Sandro Tonali explains Tottenham transfer decision despite strong Manchester City interest
5:22 PMYahoo Sports — Spurs were my best 'solution' - Tonali
4:03 PMYahoo Sports — Tonali 'took 10 minutes' to decide to join Spurs
4:01 PMBBC Sport — Tonali 'took 10 minutes' to decide to join Spurs

What they're saying

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Tottenham's £100m midfielder Sandro Tonali has revealed he "spoke with another team", but in the end the decision to join Spurs was an easy one. Tonali said moving to London represented about 10% of the attraction as he wanted his family to be happy, but said football, Roberto de Zerbi and Tottenham's recruitment staff made up the other 90% of his decision. There was also further discussion about the transfer fee, what it means for him and Newcastle, and how it effectively priced him and his family out of a move back to Italy.
— Yahoo Sports

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Tonali says he knew within 10-15 minutes of speaking to Tottenham they would be his next clubItalian says Tottenham spoke with “100 per cent passion” and “100 per cent seriousness”Man City wer...
— Yahoo Sports