LONDON, June 27. Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Sandro Tonali has taken a bizarre turn after the club submitted a second offer for the Newcastle United midfielder that was identical to their first, a move that was swiftly and firmly rejected by the Magpies.
The north London club, who have made a bold start to the summer transfer window with four signings already, are desperate to overhaul their squad following back to back 17th place Premier League finishes. Manager Roberto De Zerbi has identified his fellow Italian as a priority target , and personal terms have been agreed on a contract worth over £275,000 per week . The connection between the manager and player, both hailing from the same city of Brescia, is a significant factor in Tonali’s reported desire to make the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium .
However, the attempt to secure his signature has exposed a significant gap in valuation. After an initial offer of approximately £75 million was rejected , Spurs submitted a second approach. According to reports, they did not improve the financial terms of the bid but instead asked Newcastle to reconsider their original proposal . The Magpies, who value the midfielder closer to £100 million, immediately rebuffed this unusual request .
Newcastle are in a position of strength to hold out for their asking price. Tonali is effectively contracted to the club until 2030 and is among their highest earners. The situation has also been bolstered by the sale of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for £69.3 million, which has alleviated any urgent need to sell key players to meet Profit and Sustainability Rules . Furthermore, AC Milan are entitled to a 10% sell on clause from any future transfer , meaning Newcastle are keen to maximise their return.
With the Tonali deal at an impasse, Tottenham have accelerated their interest in an alternative target. The club has made West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes a primary transfer target and is optimistic that a deal for the 21 year old Portugal international can be reached . West Ham are understood to be demanding around £80 million for the midfielder, a fee that could now prove more attainable than Newcastle’s valuation for Tonali . Reports also suggest that Spurs are exploring the ambitious possibility of signing both midfielders to completely remodel their central options for the new season .
