Premier League news: Tottenham agree club-record £100m deal for Sandro Tonali
Tottenham Hotspur have continued one of the Premier League's most ambitious summer transfer windows after agreeing a club-record £100 million deal to sign Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali on Wednesday.
The agreement, worth an initial £92.5 million plus a further £7.5 million in achievable add-ons, comes just days after Spurs struck an £85 million deal for Mateus Fernandes.
This takes their summer spending beyond £230 million as new head coach Roberto De Zerbi reshapes his squad.
Spurs land one of the Premier League's best midfielders
Tonali has emerged as one of the Premier League's standout central midfielders since arriving from AC Milan, combining defensive intensity with composure in possession and an ability to dictate the tempo of matches.
Sky Sports reports that the Italy international was keen to work under compatriot Roberto De Zerbi and is expected to earn more than £275,000 per week once the transfer is completed.
Manchester United were also strongly linked with the midfielder, but Tottenham moved decisively to secure another high-profile signing before their rivals.
READ MORE: Premier League news: Tottenham win race to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham
A midfield transformation
The arrival of Tonali follows Tottenham's agreement to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham earlier this week.
Rather than adding depth, Spurs appear to be rebuilding the heart of their team.
The combination of Tonali's experience and Fernandes' athleticism gives De Zerbi a midfield capable of controlling possession while adding greater defensive stability - an area Tottenham often struggled with last season.
Merson: ‘Spurs are finally addressing a weakness’
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes Tottenham have identified exactly where improvements were needed.
"Tonali is a very good signing,” Merson said. “He is one of my favourite players in the Premier League. He is a proper, proper midfielder."
Merson added that Spurs have too often been overrun in midfield and believes De Zerbi has acted quickly to solve that problem.
"They've got good centre-halves and forwards when they are all fit, but they never dominate the midfield.
“The manager has come in, highlighted that and brought in two very good midfield players."
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A statement summer
Should both the Tonali and Fernandes deals be completed, Tottenham's transfer expenditure will exceed £237 million, making them one of Europe's biggest spenders this summer.
Alongside additions including Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dúbravka and Jan Paul van Hecke, Spurs have shown clear intent to back De Zerbi ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Looking ahead
Tonali's arrival may prove to be more than just Tottenham's biggest signing of the summer.
Together with Fernandes, it represents a significant overhaul of the club's midfield and underlines a broader shift in ambition as Spurs look to challenge at the top end of the Premier League once again.
If the move is finalised, Tottenham will have landed one of England's premier midfielders while continuing a transfer window that has rapidly become one of the most eye-catching in Europe.
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