Reports are circulating revealing the main reason for the delay in the announcement of Tottenham Hotspur’s record signing of Sandro Tonali, although one insider claims there is “nothing to worry about”.
Tonali was filmed at a Milan airport on Thursday as he flew to London to undergo a medical ahead of his record-breaking £100million switch to Spurs.
The Italy midfielder actually spoke to Sky Italy on his way through the airport and admitted the key role Roberto De Zerbi has played in his imminent capture.
“De Zerbi played a huge role in this decision,” he said. “He deserves a lot of the credit.”
On what to expect from him at Tottenham, Tonali was measured as he added: “We have to take everything slowly, starting with the pre-season training camp.”
While the delay has got some Tottenham fans fretting, especially after what happened with the ‘agreed’ signings of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberech Eze last summer, it’s now being reported that the announcement of a Newcastle addition is behind it.
Indeed, a post from Hotspur Lane on X stated: “Rumours circulating that the reason for the delay for the Sandro Tonali announcement is due to #THFC having to wait for Newcastle to announce their signing of Bazoumana Toure…🤷♂️
“If the player has signed the contract, which it seems like he has, I’ve got no idea why we have to announce it Newcastle’s terms.”
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No panic over Tonali signing delay
Spurs insider Paul O’Keefe, meanwhile, has confirmed that the deal is still very much in place and that there is no cause for panic.
Asked why the announcement had not yet come through despite the transfer being agreed days ago, O’Keefe was straightforward: “Everything is ready to go. Just have to be patient.”
In a follow-up reply, he added: “There is a reason but nothing to worry about.”
The Athletic, meanwhile, has broken down the figures behind the deal, with Tottenham expected to pay £92.5m up front with a further £7.5m in achievable add-ons for the 26-year-old.
Tonali’s signing will see the club smash their transfer record twice in a matter of days, in a clear change of approach from majority owners the Lewis Family.
The club have already snapped up Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka on free transfers, while also adding Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke in a £52m deal and splashing out £85m on Mateus Fernandes.