Tonali 'took 10 minutes' to decide to join Spurs

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Sandro Tonali says he quickly settled on joining Tottenham after discussions with new manager Roberto de Zerbi, with the midfielder describing a decisive first conversation of around 10 minutes. The 26-year-old has moved from Newcastle in a club-record £100m deal and has already appeared in two of Spurs’ three pre-season matches, according to the report by Nizaar Kinsella from Sydney.

Tonali said a shared link to Brescia helped build trust with De Zerbi. The coach grew up supporting the Italian club and later played there, while Tonali began his career with Brescia. The midfielder said they discussed the club’s financial troubles, and BBC Sport reports that De Zerbi had sounded out Tonali’s possible interest through a mutual contact during last season before making direct contact after Tottenham secured Premier League survival by beating Everton.

The report says Tonali also spoke with another club, but felt Tottenham was the right option after meeting De Zerbi near Brescia. He said London mattered for family reasons, but that football considerations, De Zerbi and Tottenham’s recruitment staff drove most of the decision. Tonali also said a return to Italy was not realistic because of the transfer fee, even if some clubs could have handled his wages.

Tonali emphasised that he was not leaving Newcastle because of unhappiness, praising Eddie Howe, sporting director Ross Wilson, St James’ Park and the club’s supporters. BBC Sport notes that he previously served a 10-month ban for breaches of FA betting rules while at Newcastle, and that the £100m fee will bring added scrutiny as Spurs reshape under De Zerbi.