Everything Roberto De Zerbi has said about Sandro Tonali as Tottenham stun in transfer race
Tottenham Hotspur have shocked the rest of the Premier League by entering the race to sign Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali.
Arsenal and Manchester United have registered a strong interest in the Italian international, with both able to offer Champions League football next season.
Roberto De Zerbi's side, of course, are attempting to rebuild after narrowly escaping Premier League relegation on the final day of the season, potentially putting some transfer targets off.
The new Spurs boss will be hoping to use his relationship with Tonali to his advantage this summer, though, and it would appear that supporters are increasingly confident of a deal happening.
This move would send an incredible message to the rest of the Premier League ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, and that's exactly what is needed at Hotspur Way.
De Zerbi is desperate for the hierarchy to back him in the market, and he has certainly made his feelings clear over the years about Newcastle's star midfielder.
Roberto De Zerbi wants to sign 'complete' Premier League star
Tottenham's manager has made no secret of his admiration for the player, even from his time at Sassuolo between 2018 and 2021.
On TMW Radio in 2020 [Passioneinter], the now-Spurs boss said: "Tonali? He is a complete player, he has technique, change of pace, physical strength, a bit of everything."
And back in 2023, when speaking about previous interest [Sempre Milan], he added: "I wanted to bring Tonali to Sassuolo, if I had stayed, after his first year at Milan.
"I said, 'Maybe they fall for it, and I'll bring him here'. I had seen him in Brescia and I thought he was a player, as he later showed."
Now, the 47-year-old finally has the chance to link up with the midfield maestro, but can the Lilywhites really fend off their Premier League rivals for Tonali's signature?
What has Sandro Tonali said about his own future?
It is very rare for footballers to address any of the rumours surrounding transfers, but Tonali has done little to quell Newcastle fears with his comments.
Keith Downie quoted the player's interview in April as saying: "I don’t look at social media, I don’t like it. I just go to training and then go home and be with my family. My life is much better now.
“In football if you play well you have to deal with the transfer rumours, but if you concentrate 100% on your game, and you’re happy, you don’t have to think about anything or speak about anything.”
The rumours are only going to ramp up at the summer goes on, and these comments will do very little to provide supporters with a sense of relief.
If anything, Tonali has avoided the question entirely, but that isn't entirely surprising. Fans will only know what he wants once the summer window closes.