Sandro Tonali declared he is ‘ready for this new adventure’ as the Newcastle star travelled to London to complete a £100m move to Tottenham, minutes after Spurs announced the arrival of Mateus Fernandes.
Daily Mail Sport understands Tonali is set to sign a six-year deal at Tottenham, which could be worth around £275,000 per week.
Tottenham agreed terms on a £92.5million deal with Newcastle, with add-ons centred around Champions League qualification taking that fee to £100m.
Tonali spoke to reporters at Milan Linate Airport as he travelled to London to undergo a medical.
‘We had a sort of agreement with Newcastle, we talked every day and we made it,’ Tonali told Sky Sport Italia.
‘They wanted the best from me, we wanted the best deal for them. We parted on excellent terms, we’re all happy and I’m ready for this new adventure.
Sandro Tonali spoke to reporters outside Milan airport as the Newcastle midfielder travelled to London to complete a £100m move to Tottenham
Tottenham have completed the £85m signing of Mateus Fernandes as the club overhauls Roberto De Zerbi’s midfield
‘[Roberto] De Zerbi did a great job in all this and for a life choice with family after three years at Newcastle, last year our lives changed with our child’s birth so we decided to change a bit our life and De Zerbi made a great difference, he did his job and he did it very well.
The Italian international is set to become part of a new-look Tottenham midfield under head coach De Zerbi.
Tonali will become Tottenham’s record signing, surpassing the £85m they have paid to West Ham for Fernandes.
Fernandes’ move was confirmed on Thursday morning, with the midfielder admitting De Zerbi was a key factor in his decision to sign for the club.
‘I’m very excited for this next step,’ Fernandes said.
‘Spurs is a massive club and the head coach was a key part of why I have decided to join.
‘When we spoke, it was very special. We look at football in the same way – going onto the pitch as a strong team, with fight and energy, to try and win every game.
‘I can’t wait to get started, to meet the fans, to meet everyone, and give everything for the club.’
Tonali said he leaves Newcastle on ‘excellent terms’ and is ready for a ‘new adventure’
The Italian midfielder credited Roberto De Zerbi as a key factor for him making the move
De Zerbi added: ‘I’ve admired Mateus for a long time because he combines quality on the ball with the intensity and intelligence that are so important in the way we want to play.
‘Despite his age, he already has good experience in the Premier League and has shown quality and consistency at this level.
‘Mateus is comfortable under pressure, can progress the ball, works hard for the team and has the courage to make things happen in difficult moments.
‘I believe this is the ideal environment for him to continue his development and I’m excited to start working with him.’
The additions of Tonali and Fernandes will mark a significant boost for De Zerbi as he looks to rebuild a Spurs squad which has slumped to 17th-placed finishes in each of the last two seasons.
Ex-AC Milan captain Tonali made 110 appearances for Newcastle, scoring 10 goals, since signing for the club from the Italian giants back in 2023 in a deal worth £60m.
Just months after moving to the north-east, he received a 10-month suspension after being found guilty of breaching rules on gambling by the Italian Football Federation. He subsequently missed the rest of the season and the Euros that summer.
Fernandes has impressed in the past two seasons in the Premier League, despite suffering back-to-back relegations with Southampton and West Ham.
Tottenham beat Man United to the signing of Fernandes, who leaves West Ham following their relegation to the Championship
West Ham confirmed the 21-year-old’s departure to their London rivals with a short statement on their website.
‘West Ham United can confirm that Mateus Fernandes has completed a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur for an undisclosed fee.
‘The 21-year-old Portugal international departs having made 38 appearances and scored four goals for the Hammers after joining from Southampton in the summer of 2025.
‘West Ham United would like to thank Mateus for his service and wish him well for the future.
They have already agreed on free agents Martin Dubravka, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson while Jan Paul van Hecke arrived from Brighton for £52million.
Spurs also want to add a forward and a winger with Savinho of Manchester City still in their sights.
Despite interest from Nottingham Forest and Napoli, they have yet to receive a bid for wantaway midfielder Lucas Bergvall.
Tottenham did however accept a £50million offer from Brighton to sell Croatia centre back Luka Vuskovic.
