Some of Tottenham’s past managers could be forgiven for looking on with a hint of envy at the spending power Roberto De Zerbi is set to command this summer, as the club makes a serious statement of intent under the Italian’s leadership.
It does prompt an obvious question — where was this ambition two years ago? Ange Postecoglou’s second window, following a solid fifth-place finish, was largely built around younger, unproven prospects rather than established stars. Dominic Solanke stood alone as the big-money arrival, with Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall the other notable additions — two players who could now find game time increasingly hard to come by at N17, particularly with De Zerbi eyeing up to three new midfielders.
The Italian has already proven he knows exactly what to do with elite midfield talent, having transformed Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister into world-class performers during his Brighton days.
Big Target Desperate to Work Under De Zerbi
The midfield rebuild is well underway in terms of need. Yves Bissouma has departed on a free, Bergvall is reportedly attracting interest from Nottingham Forest, and loanee Joao Palhinha’s future remains unclear. Factor in the persistent injury issues surrounding James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur, and the urgency becomes clear.
Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali have emerged as Spurs’ primary targets — and the Tonali pursuit is gathering serious momentum. Journalist Ben Jacobs reports that personal terms are closing in, with broad agreement already in place. The Newcastle man has reportedly given his green light to the switch after three seasons on Tyneside, and Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas adds that Tonali is keen to link up with fellow Italian De Zerbi, with a contract in the region of £275,000-per-week on the table.
Why Tonali Could Become De Zerbi’s Next Caicedo
De Zerbi’s ability to sharpen midfield talent is well-documented. Caicedo arrived at Brighton having made just eight Premier League appearances, but under the Italian’s guidance blossomed into one of the division’s finest midfielders — ranking second for tackles and interceptions and sixth for accurate passes in 2022/23, before going on to become what Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has called arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world.
The hope is that Tonali can fill a similar role at Spurs. His agent has already described him as one of the best midfielders on the planet, and while last season proved tough at Newcastle, his previous campaign painted a more compelling picture — six league goal contributions, four big chances created, and 86% pass accuracy.
Those numbers hold up well against Caicedo’s breakout year under De Zerbi: two goal contributions, three big chances created, and 89% pass accuracy. Caicedo edges it as a pure ball-winner — 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game versus Tonali’s 2.3 — but both share the same profile: powerful, dominant, and difficult to dispossess in central areas. Tonali was dribbled past just 0.7 times per game last season, virtually identical to Caicedo’s 0.6 in 2022/23.
Both can also produce moments of brilliance from range, with Tonali netting twice against Aston Villa in the FA Cup earlier this year a reminder of that quality.
Landing a midfielder of this calibre could be genuinely transformative for Spurs, whose struggles in that department have been well-chronicled. Supporters who endured the Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg era together will need no reminding of just how badly a signing like this is needed.
