Chronicle Live

Tonali is on the verge of leaving Newcastle United to join Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur's ownership don't know what they are doing in the transfer market and Sandro Tonali has only swapped Newcastle for North London for money.

That is the scathing view of former Crystal Palace owner and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan who has been left baffled by some of Spurs' decisions this summer.

Tonali is on the verge of joining Spurs in a deal worth up to £100m as he is set to link up with fellow Italian Roberto De Zerbi at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

Spurs have spent big this summer, signing Mateus Fernandes for £85million, Jan Paul van Hecke for £52million from Brighton, as well as signing Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers.

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All of this is in the backdrop of finishing 17th in the Premier League table for the second successive season and Jordan has not only questioned their huge spending already this summer but also Tonali's motivation to join a team who avoided relegation on the final day of last season.

"What does it tell you about the players who are joining them?" Jordan asked on talkSPORT. "With respect to Tonali, why would you go from Newcastle to Tottenham Hotspur? I suspect it is because of the money.

"I don't know what that tells you. That either tells you, you have a player playing for money or a playing for ambition because you are going to a side that finished fourth from bottom of the league last year.

"I don't think they know what they are doing. They are paying massively over the odds for these players. I think they have gone from one extreme to the other.

"I think you have football expertise that Daniel [Levy] and his team exhibited at certain times but didn't have the balls or the financial desire to push the envelope.

"Now they have gone the other way which is you don't care about the financial concerns of what you are doing, you are just going to spend whatever you are going to spend. The fans will love it."

Tonali jetted into London yesterday to complete his move to Spurs and attention on Tyneside has now turned towards who will replace the Italy international at St James' Park.

The Magpies are close to signing winger Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim and are also confident of wrapping up a deal for attacking midfielder Johan Manzambi from Freiburg.

Monaco's Lamine Camara is seen as a potential Tonali successor and Newcastle have tracked his progress for a long while now.

There has been much bemusement in footballing circles over Tottenham's huge summer transfer spend

Tottenham Hotspur have raced out of the blocks to be the biggest spenders of the transfer window so far, with Sandro Tonali's impending arrival set to be their fifth signing of the summer.

Newcastle accepted Spurs' offer for Tonali on Wednesday with the deal set to bank the Magpies £92.5million up front with a further £7.5million in achievable add-ons.

It comes fresh off the back of paying £85million to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United and spending £52million on Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

Spurs have also signed Bournemouth's Marco Senesi and Liverpool's Andy Robertson on free transfers, with all five players set to be on huge wages.

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It has felt jarring for many supporters to see Spurs able to spend so much money having just avoided relegation on the final day of the season to finish 17th in the Premier League for the second successive campaign.

They have cherry picked players from clubs like Newcastle, who played Champions League football last season but need to sell to buy after finishing in 12th place last season - a first misstep in four seasons after finishing fourth, seventh and fifth in the three seasons prior to that.

Bournemouth and Brighton will both play European football this season, too, but have lost players to Spurs, whose revenue streams they built up before the days of FFP, PSR and now SCR rules came into effect, at the time they were deemed part of the 'big six' alongside the two Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, allowed them to create a closed shop for teams below them to compete financially.

Aston Villa, who have qualified for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons and won last season's Europa League may have to sell Morgan Rogers to one of those clubs to be able to spend money in the transfer window and comply with spending rules.

Spurs' stadium is a huge source of fortune, too, and it has allowed them to become a commercial superpower that can effectively offset poor performance on the pitch by excellent performance on it.

In an exclusive chat with Chronicle Live, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has described the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as an 'entertainment complex' which has allowed Spurs to create a £200m revenue gap between themselves and Newcastle, which explains why they can sign Sandro Tonali and how they can afford his £100million fee in a summer where they've spent £237million on transfers.

"Spurs are very good at what they do," Maguire told Chronicle Live. "And what they are very good at doing is being an entertainment complex. That's how I'd describe them. Whereas Newcastle United is a football club.

"Tottenham made, on average, £83 per fan per seat and that compares to Newcastle at £49 according to the 2024/25 figures. Spurs also have 30 non-football events a year at full capacity.

"As a result of that, their commercial income has gone through the roof. They made £277million from commercial income. That compares to £123million Newcastle netted. So there's £140 million [gap]. You've got £70million more in matchday income. You put those two together, and that's £200million.

"As far as the broadcast income is concerned, it's £3million a place. So they finished 17th, Newcastle finished 12th. So Newcastle got an extra £15million in TV money. But offset against that, Spurs are getting £200million more in commercial and matchday and that's why they're in a position to be able to effectively cherry-pick.

"They're also very good at not paying wages. In the sense that their wages are 45% of revenue. Newcastle's was 73%. So if they have to pay more money on wages, they've got the scope to make a blockbuster offer to a player without having any fears of breaching PSR or SCR, whereas Newcastle have to walk the tightrope."

Sandro Tonali will complete his £100m move to Spurs after a difficult ending to his Newcastle United career

Sandro Tonali told Newcastle United chiefs he wanted a new challenge after three years on Tyneside ahead of his £100million exit from St James' Park.

It is also believed that Tonali was unsettled on Tyneside and his dip in form was noted by backroom staff who tried to get to the bottom of his below-par displays.

Head coach Eddie Howe was one of the first people to be told by Tonali he wanted to quit, with the pair enjoying an excellent bond after the midfielder was helped back from the brink of a crisis in 2023 when banned for betting offences during his time in Italy with AC Milan.

The Magpies were informed that Tonali wanted to seek a new club via his agent Giuseppe Riso earlier this month, with a number of sides approached over a possible deal, including Arsenal, Man City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Chronicle Live has been told that United's preference was not to sell to Tottenham, but they were the first to hit the £100m asking price of Newcastle and were eager to push the deal through as Man City arrived on the scene.

Sources close to the deal have indicated that Spurs became irked by Newcastle's insistence of demanding £100m, but were told they deal would be done for no less.

Newcastle felt, via Tonali's body language late in the season, that he was 'ready' for a move after internal concerns about his form throughout the 2025/26 season in comparison to the previous campaign.

It's why the deal has been deemed as a big positive by Newcastle after they conducted a sale at the same value as Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice, who also made £100m moves to Man City and Arsenal respectively.

Bearing in mind Tonali's value plummeted close to zero after his 10-month FIFA ban for illegal betting, the feeling at Newcastle is that Howe and his backroom staff did a good job to get him such a high-profile exit.

The transfer fee is now set to be reinvested into the first-team with Newcastle looking to sign players in the lower 20s bracket.

Newcastle will look to get the ball rolling with the addition of Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim, with arrangements for a medical and flight to Tyneside in place.

Toure will come in for around £40m, but the deal could not have unfolded without the sale of Tonali, according to sources on Tyneside.

Johan Manzambi of Frieburg and Archie Gray from Spurs are also on sporting director Ross Wilson's hit-list, but CEO David Hopkinson is also playing an active part in negotiations.

Chronicle Live understands that every penny that can be spent of the Sandro Tonali deal will be in the next few weeks.

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Gray is still just 20 years of age but already has amassed a vast amount of experience. He made 52 appearances in the 2023/24 season as Leeds were beaten in the Championship play-off final before being sold to Spurs that summer for £30million.

Since then, he has won the Europa League, played in the Champions League and won 17 England under-21 caps. He has excelled at right-back and centre-back, as well as his usual central midfield role.

That versatility, as well as his huge potential, makes him a very attractive prospect for potential suitors this summer.

He is under contract in north London, though, for another four years and Tottenham do not want to lose him. It may take a considerable offer to prise him away from the club as a result.

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle have had a transfer offer rejected for Archie Gray.

Tottenham do not want to sell but the Magpies are said to remain interested in his services. Spurs, of course, are keen to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle and Gray, who is also a midfielder, could find himself down the pecking order.

Gray joined Tottenham for £30million two years ago from Leeds United. One to watch and we will bring you more as we get it.

According to the Mail Online, Newcastle are now 'frontrunners' in the race to sign Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Toure.

The 20-year-old Ivory Coast international was knocked out of the World Cup on Tuesday evening when Norway beat his side, which means conversations over his future are now expected to ramp up.

The left-winger grabbed five goals and 12 assists last season to help Hoffenheim qualify for this season's Europa League and is viewed as a potential replacement for Anthony Gordon.

Chronicle Live understands that while Spurs have agreed an £85m move for Mateus Fernandes, that doesn't mean their interest in Sandro Tonali is over. Quite the opposite - Tonali is still a target as long as the finances are right and they can match Newcastle's asking price.

To spend £185m on two midfielders is wild for a team who has finished 17th in successive Premier League seasons. Add on the £52m they've spent on Jan Paul Van Hecke, huge wages for Marco Senesi and Andy Robertson, plus their desire to sign a new forward. All this while Newcastle are forced to sell to buy, and have a tight rein on their finances.

Newcastle's drive to recruit the best young talent around the UK as possible has seen them reportedly swoop for Ipswich Town schoolboy Eli Hall.

The 14-year-old became the youngest player ever to have appeared for the Tractor Boys’ U18s before deregistering from the academy last month.

Right-back Hall joined Ipswich as a seven-year-old. He played the full 90 minutes for their U18s in March in a 4-3 defeat at Birmingham City, aged just 14 years and 165 days old.

Hall was offered a scholarship by the Suffolk side in November but opted to leave the club and, according to the Secret Scout, is now set to join Newcastle. Spurs are also keen to sign him. United would have to pay a minimal compensation figure.

It follows on from another youngster, Kyle Healy-Matthews, arriving in Tyneside this week to sign for the club. The 16-year-old has left West Ham to move to Newcastle.

Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa is running hot with DR Congo after being frozen out at St James' Park during a long, hard winter on Tyneside.

Wissa's last Premier League start came way back in February, when he was hauled off on a miserable day for Newcastle as they were beaten 3-2 at home to Wissa's old club Brentford and the fog on the Tyne swept in at full-time. He'd been hooked after missing a golden chance to make it 2-0 but his side went on to crumble and lose 3-2 after he'd been afforded just 17 touches.

The £55m signing, who drove himself to Newcastle push through an 11th-hour deadline day move last summer, ended the season with just three Toon goals to his name - a tally he has already matched at the World Cup finals with DR Congo.

It was a tough slog for Wissa at Newcastle after picking up a knee injury within days of being paraded as the club's no.9 while on international duty with DR Congo against Senegal. His Newcastle debut was delayed until December and he missed the African Cup of Nations out of respect to the Magpies, returning to score just three times for his new club before the campaign fizzled out and he jetted to the World Cup with a point to prove, something he's managed to do impressively in fairness.

Wissa has shown why Newcastle signed him 10 months ago but he could yet become an England show-stopper tonight.

Read the full story, here.

According to the Athletic, Tottenham have beaten Manchester United in the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes.

The 21-year-old is set to move to North London in an £85million deal after Spurs agreed to the relegated club's demands, while Manchester United had decided the price tag and the wages needed to secure the deal was over what they were willing to pay.

Whether or not that affects any Spurs move for Sandro Tonali remains to be seen but the word is that their pursuit of Fernandes was separate to their interest in the Newcastle star and not separate of it.

Newcastle United could soon be saying farewell to Sandro Tonali after the player agreed a deal with Spurs in principle

Sandro Tonali is believed to have agreed a personal package in principle with Tottenham Hotspur after talks with his agency GR Sports.

If Spurs reach Newcastle's tipping point in terms of an official bid, the deal could be processed in the next week or so. The Magpies rejected an £80million offer for Tonali earlier this month and were told to return with a higher bid.

Unlike the Bruno Guimaraes transfer saga, Spurs have at least made it to the table with a concrete offer for Tonali rather than sole chats through intermediaries.

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In what has been a tough summer so far for Newcastle club chiefs are frustrated by leaks coming from third parties. But Newcastle are determined to stick to their transfer plans, and have a process in place to get deals done regardless of financial restrictions.

However, there is no doubt behind the scenes that Tonali's sale could open up a few doors for head coach Eddie Howe and sporting director Ross Wilson.

And while a fee is yet to be agreed, Tonali is understood to be keen on a six-year deal worth around £275,000 per week for the Italy star who signed for £55m in 2023.

Newcastle are keen to hold out for £100m and come close to doubling the price they paid for him to AC Milan three years ago.

Spurs would be smashing their record transfer fee if they sign Tonali at the price Newcastle are asking. They paid £51.8m for Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig last summer.

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi is believed to have a close relationship with Giuseppe Riso and his agent has never shied away from suggesting he could quit Newcastle.

Speaking in March, Riso asked on a possible exit from Tyneside to potentially Arsenal or Manchester City, Riso said: “Exactly, that was the goal from the moment he went to England – to try to make him a star player. I think he’s the Italian footballer with one of the highest values in the world.

"The deal came about because a club like Newcastle, with unlimited financial resources, had decided to invest in Sandro. We considered the idea of having the player play in a higher-level league."

When asked if Newcastle would sell Tonali this summer, CEO David Hopkinson said three months ago: "We think through what players might or might not want to do this summer.

"But if an Isak-like scenario presents itself again, any player under contract is going to leave on our terms and we’re going to maximise the opportunity that might represent for the club."

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Newcastle United vs North London. That's the battle that looks to be brewing this summer as the transfer window - like us all - hots up.

The Magpies have been rocked over the last few days by the news that their two best midfielders, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali, could be heading out the door this summer.

Tonali is wanted by Tottenham Hotspur, who have had a £80million bid rejected by Newcastle, who have also told Arsenal that skipper Guimaraes is not for sale after their verbal bid of £55m.

So just exactly what is going on? Chronicle Live spoke to our counterparts at football.london, Arsenal writer Tom Canton and Spurs expert Alasdair Gold, to get the inside track from the capital as well as giving our own take on the talk from the Tyne.

The Arsenal view

Arsenal have been interested in Bruno Guimaraes for more than half a decade. He was appreciated while in Brazil, subsequently in France but never pulled the trigger.

There were plenty of inaccurate suggestions that Arsenal bid for the midfielder when he moved to Newcastle, but the reality is they held off a meaningful approach, seemingly reluctant to take the step to get the deal done, with lingering questions about whether he was the real deal.

Now 28, the club have been proven wrong for not having committed sooner; there’s no question about that. Whether an early deal would have prevented a move for Declan Rice, who knows, but a move this summer has raised eyebrows.

But Arsenal have interest in many midfield targets, and this feels very much like an Andrea Berta strategy to test the waters. Sandro Tonali’s asking price is simply far too high - not that Arsenal couldn’t afford it, but that it’s difficult to vindicate such a move.

Guimaraes at £55m would have been a steal, and that’s why the suggestion has been knocked back so swiftly. Whether they return remains to be seen, but it would no doubt be a player many see having the potential to help secure back-to-back Premier League titles.

Tom Canton, Arsenal writer

The Spurs view

After such a rotten season Spurs and their owners want to make a statement this summer and they have identified Sandro Tonali as one of the ways of doing that.

Roberto De Zerbi is a big fan of his compatriot and feels like the 26-year-old can be the man that takes his midfield to the next level. I would completely understand Newcastle fans thinking 'why Tottenham?' for Tonali, but Spurs are planning for their two-season pit stop in the lower reaches of the table to be exactly that before returning to the upper levels of the Premier League as they previously were. They can't risk going through that mess again.

De Zerbi would not have leapt off his sun lounger in April, facing the very real threat of relegation, if the project described to him was not an ambitious one.

Spurs have also opened up their wage structure finally which will allow them to compete with others for bigger players but they need to pay what Newcastle deem appropriate for Tonali. Eddie Howe's side have his long contract and the threat of interest from others as a tool to ensure they get fair value for the Italy international.

Tottenham have let such deals slip through their fingers in the past. This will be the biggest test of the new direction the club claim they are taking with football finally being put first.

Alasdair Gold, Spurs writer

The Newcastle view

Simply put, Newcastle can't afford to lose both of their midfield generals this summer, not when they've already sold Anthony Gordon. Nor do they need to - while extra money would come in handy for the rebuild, they are not in financial trouble after banking the thick end of £200m in the last 12 months.

There is a general acceptance behind the scenes that Tonali will go before the window closes, if Newcastle get their £100m asking price. It should be noted that the Magpies have been very clear for weeks now that this is the fee, and they won't budge.

The message around Guimaraes is simple: not for sale. The difference here is that their bargaining position is slightly weaker as the skipper only has two years left on his contract. However, some suggestions are that this is a tactic by his representatives to get the best deal possible on an extension.

Neither player has agitated for a move so far, unlike Isak, with the talk being more agent-driven at the minute. But the last thing they want or need is a saga again after the Alexander Isak situation, so there could be some movement on Tonali in particular over the next fortnight before United report back for pre-season training.

Newcastle are yet to make a decision on a new stadium but it is vital to achieving their aim of becoming one of the biggest clubs in the world by 2030

Newcastle United have been warned they will have to leave St James' Park and build a state of the art new stadium if they want to regularly compete for Champions League places.

The Magpies had made a strong start to life under the ownership of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, reaching two cup finals and qualifying for the Champions League twice within the first four years of the project.

But last season saw them hit a wall on the pitch as despite matching their best ever Champions League performance and reaching the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, Eddie Howe's side finished a disappointing 12th place in the Premier League.

Not only did that see them miss out on the Champions League but European football altogether next season and this summer has been seen as a bit of a reset for the project.

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Newcastle are expected to largely adopt a 'one in one out' policy in the transfer market with Anthony Gordon already joining Barcelona this summer and interest in Sandro Tonali making the Italy international's exit from the club possible, too.

The frustration, certainly from a sporting point of view, from Newcastle fans is that it is Tottenham who are making the inroads to sign the 26-year-old.

United rejected an £80million offer from the North London club last week and are sticking to their £100million asking price to sell the player this summer.

Arsenal and Man City remain interested, too, but it is only Tottenham that have put an offer on the table and that has led to questions over why Newcastle's spending has to be so stringent when Spurs, who have finished 17th in the Premier League for two successive seasons, have the ability to spend so freely.

Roberto De Zerbi's side have already plucked Marco Senesi from Bournemouth and Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton, despite both of those clubs finishing in the European places last season and should Tonali swap St James' Park for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it will leave a bitter taste in the mouth of Newcastle fans.

But the truth lies in Spurs' excellent financial position away from the pitch, which has allowed them to offset two very difficult seasons on it.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium brought in £126.5m during the 2024/25 season, according to the club's latest financial accounts, which dwarves Newcastle's £51.6m significantly.

Similarly, Spurs' state of the art stadium has become a hotspot for events, with NFL games and a whole host of music concerts, as well as other strategic partnerships, helping them bring in £277.1m in commercial revenue. Newcastle's commercial revenue stood at £120.2m.

Add those figures together and Newcastle are looking at a £231.8m gap they need to close to Spurs in terms of those off-field revenue streams.

In reality, that is not a gap, it is a chasm. And it is a chasm football finance expert Kieran Maguire feels Newcastle can only bridge if they leave St James' Park and head to a new stadium.

"If the Newcastle owners want a football club which is regularly competing for one of the Champions League places, they have to move," Maguire told BBC Sport.

"If they want Newcastle to be a regular top-10 club competing in the Europa League and Europa Conference League, tweak St James' Park. That's how significant the decision is."

Newcastle are yet to announce whether their intention is to upgrade St James' Park or build a new state-of-the-art stadium on a site on nearby Leazes Park.

Newcastle's long-term plans under their owners have been brought back under scrutiny thanks to Spurs' interest in Sandro Tonali

Simon Jordan has questioned what the long-term future is for Newcastle United amid the ongoing Sandro Tonali transfer saga.

The Magpies turned down an £80million bid for the Italian from Tottenham Hotspur last week, with a growing belief that the midfielder is on his way out of Tyneside this summer.

The fact that Spurs - who finished 17th two seasons in a row - are able to offer more money and potentially seen as a better long-term prospect for Tonali has got some Newcastle fans hot under the collar.

For Jordan, it's another example of how the Saudi-led project may not be able to get to where it wants to be in the short or medium term. And while PIF have insisted that they remain fully committed - with the likes of purchasing Leazes Terrace and investment in the training ground showing their intent - former Crystal Palace owner-turned radio pundit Jordan wonders if they would be tempted to sell up soon.

"Do Spurs have the position in terms of financial landscape that Newcastle wish to inhabit?" he said on talkSPORT. "Because it wasn't so long ago that Spurs were one of the big four big five clubs that were determining the course of the destiny around the the Premier League.

"They have a £500million, £600million turnover. So, they have all the ingredients to be a big football club. They just haven't been able to achieve it for a multitude of reasons.

"Do I think he [Tonali] goes to Tottenham? No, I don't. I think he'll go to a club that's more imminently successful than Spurs. And that's not decrying or devaluing Spurs.

"The challenge for Newcastle is is how do they get to where people's perception of them [is] in terms of the mind's eye of the ownership. For want of a better expression, I think the Saudis have shot their bolt. I don't think they're going to spend lots and lots of money on sports per se now.

"And I think if they were going to do it, I think you might find the Saudis are going to sell this football club. I wouldn't be surprised to see that happening in the immediate or near future, or relatively near future.

"So you look at it and say, what do Newcastle become? We've had this, I think, frankly ridiculous set of observations from their chief executive.

"First of all, he didn't want to commit himself to Eddie Howe, which opened up a whole raft of controversies. Then he rode back from that. And then he talks about the 2030 project. Well, we know what the 2030 project is. It's about Saudi building itself into a whole raft of other things in his own country. But they index everything they do to the 2030 project.

"Now he's talking about Newcastle winning the league by 2030. Not even if you are the lion, the witch and the wardrobe could you believe that fairy tale? Because there's no possible way you're going to be able to achieve it irrespective of what Leicester did 10 years ago."

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Tottenham Hotspur now have fresh motivation to return with a second transfer offer to sign Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali.

Chronicle Live learned over the weekend that the Magpies rejected an offer of around £80million for the Italy international last week, with United informing Spurs they won't sell for less than £100million.

That seems a fair valuation for Tonali, who is also attracting interest from Arsenal and Manchester City, given he joined Newcastle from AC Milan three years ago for £55million and has since developed into a leading Premier League midfielder.

He also has three years remaining on his deal at St James' Park and the Magpies will want to be fairly compensated for a player they have helped take to the next level.

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It has now emerged Spurs have the added motivation of signing a new midfielder after Lucas Bergvall informed the club he wants to leave this summer.

According to the Athletic, Bergvall is keen to leave the club this summer with his opportunities limited in north London, with Roberto De Zerbi preferring the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha in his midfield.

The talented Sweden international, 20, is set to be a man in demand with Spurs wanting around £45million to part with the player they signed from Djurgardens back in 2024.

Aston Villa and Chelsea have both been interested in the past, while Nottingham Forest are keen to take him to the City Ground this summer, too.

Spurs are looking into signing West Ham's Mateus Fernandes as well as Tonali, and Newcastle may well watch the situation with interest.

With Bergvall set to leave the club, it adds pressure on Tottenham to find a midfield upgrade this summer and it may well encourage them to come back to the table with a second transfer offer to Newcastle.