Sandro Tonali has risked angering Newcastle United fans with his first comments about leaving for Tottenham Hotspur, while Roberto De Zerbi is reportedly chasing striker Eli Junior Kroupi as his next objective.
Tottenham have finished 17th in the Premier League in each of the last two seasons, and they have already had a blockbuster summer as they aim to end that worrying pattern. They began by focusing on their backline, signing Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka on free transfers and also paying Brighton & Hove Albion £52million for Jan Paul van Hecke.
Tottenham then turned their attention to central midfield after De Zerbi requested two top-class signings in the position.
They blew Manchester United away in the race for Mateus Fernandes, completing a club-record £85m deal.
An announcement for Tonali will soon follow. Spurs have beaten Manchester City to the Italian by striking an agreement worth £92.5m plus £7.5m in add-ons.
Spurs upped their overall package to £100m after having an opening £75m offer rejected.
Tonali is travelling to England to undergo a medical before officially becoming a Spurs player.
Even though the transfer has yet to be confirmed, the 26-year-old has spoken with Sky Sport Italia about his Newcastle exit.
“It was a bit long. We had a sort of agreement with Newcastle, we spoke every day and we made it. They wanted the best from me, we wanted the best deal for them,” he said (via Gianluca Di Marzio).
“We parted on excellent terms, we’re all happy and I’m ready for this new adventure.
“Why Tottenham? De Zerbi played a huge role in this, and it’s also a lifestyle and family choice after three years at Newcastle.
“De Zerbi deserves much of the credit; he did it not only as a Brescia and native and a friend, but also as a hard worker; he’s committed to this.”
Tonali’s claim that he ‘parted on excellent terms’ could spark controversy among the Newcastle faithful. His agents have been drumming up interest for months, having reportedly spoken with Arsenal as early as January.
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Tonali follows Isak, Gordon out of Newcastle
As soon as it emerged that Newcastle would fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League, Tonali and his camp started to push for an exit.
The fact Tonali has left for one of Newcastle’s Prem rivals will do little to help his reputation in the north east, too.
Newcastle supporters will likely be furious that another top star has left the club. Alexander Isak effectively went on strike to force through a £125m switch to Liverpool last summer, while Anthony Gordon joined Barcelona for £69m in May.
For Spurs, the work does not stop now. It emerged on Wednesday that Bournemouth forward Kroupi is on De Zerbi’s shortlist of potential attacking recruits.
Previous reports have placed the Frenchman’s value at £100m, but an update from The Independent states that he can actually be signed for £80m.
Spurs are said to be willing to spend £80m to sign Kroupi before fellow suitors Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
De Zerbi sees Kroupi as someone who can future-proof the No 9 position for Spurs and provide Dominic Solanke with solid competition for a starting role.
Kroupi burst onto the scene last season by netting 13 goals in 33 Premier League games during his debut campaign in the top flight, which is a record for a teenager.