Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the signing of Sandro Tonali in a club-record transfer.
The Lilywhites agreed a fee worth a reported £92.5m plus an additional £7.5m for the Italy international with Newcastle United, and the midfielder has now completed a medical and put pen to paper on a six-year contract in N17 to become the club's sixth signing of the summer transfer window.
Roberto De Zerbi has already added Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Mateus Fernandes to his squad following their 17th-place finish in the Premier League last season, and now they are ready to push up the table by making a splash in the transfer market.
Tonali: De Zerbi Was Key to Move
After the move was announced by Spurs, Tonali spoke their official website to share his thoughts on the deal.
"I'm very happy to be here," he said. "When I arrived at the Club today, it felt fantastic. People said about there being four or five clubs - there was only one.
"I spoke to the Head Coach for close to two hours about the Club, the fans, the stadium and our football. It was like magic because I knew immediately that I had to sign for Tottenham.
"I've played against Tottenham a few times and always found a great atmosphere made by great fans. I can't wait to start the season."
Tonali has signed a six-year deal, running until 2032, and becomes the club's record signing, exceeding the £85m Spurs paid earlier in the window for Fernandes from West Ham.
Sporting director Johan Lange also spoke about the deal, praising the former AC Milan star as one of the best midfielders in Europe.
"Sandro is one of the best midfielders in Europe and we are delighted to welcome him to the Club," he said.
"He has outstanding technical quality to go with real football intelligence, and has the character to thrive in a demanding, high-pressure environment. Sandro brings valuable experience at the highest level, both domestically and in European competition and I know our supporters will love his energy and commitment on the pitch.
"We are all excited to see him pull on our famous Lilywhite shirt for the first time."
De Zerbi Delighted by Tonali Signing
De Zerbi has been making a huge push to add his own stamp on the squad in north London following his arrival at the end of last season, and he has now praised the club for getting a deal to bring Tonali in done.
"Sandro is a special player and a great signing for our Club," he said.
"I have followed him for a long time, as he came through the youth system at my hometown club, Brescia, and I'm so happy to be working with him now.
"Given his qualities, there was a lot of interest in Sandro this summer. However, he was very clear in his desire to join Tottenham, and I know our fans will love what he brings to the team."