Spurs win race for Newcastle midfielder
Manchester City have missed out on Sandro Tonali, with Tottenham completing a deal worth up to £100m for the Newcastle midfielder.
Sporting director Hugo Viana had positioned City to potentially engineer a big-money double swoop in midfield, using momentum from the club record-breaking £116m package for Elliot Anderson. But Spurs have countered with staggering financial ambition under new manager Roberto De Zerbi, who identified Tonali as the cornerstone of his system in North London.
According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, Tottenham have reached an agreement with Newcastle for an initial £92.5m, with an additional £7.5m in proposed add-ons based on multiple Champions League qualifications. The finalisation of that £100m package marks a dramatic milestone in the domestic window, confirming Spurs have shattered their club transfer record twice in 48 hours following an undisclosed move for Mateus Fernandes.
For Tonali, the allure of spearheading De Zerbi's tactical operation, alongside an eye-watering personal salary package, has seemingly eclipsed the temptation of joining Enzo Maresca's project in East Manchester.
City exploring alternatives
While missing out on the 26-year-old may represent a rare defeat for Viana, City's hierarchy are already looking at alternative measures ahead of pre-season training beginning July 20. The club are understood to have made initial contacts over the possibility of signing Lille's Moroccan wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi, who starred for his country at the World Cup en route to the last 16.
It remains possible that a deal for the 18-year-old could involve a season-long loan at Lille for the 2026/27 campaign before joining City in the summer of 2027.