Vital Football

Tottenham transfer news: Newcastle reject Tottenham bid for Tonali

Tottenham transfer news: Johan Lange has blinked first, and the answer from Tyneside was a swift, resounding no. Tottenham Hotspur have tested the waters with a massive £75m bid for Sandro Tonali, only for Newcastle United to immediately knock it back. The Daily Mail reports that St James’ Park chiefs are refusing to budge on a firm £100m valuation for the Italian midfielder.

This transfer saga is heating up fast. Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi is the man driving the pursuit, desperate to anchor his north London squad rebuild with the 26-year-old. But the astronomical figures required are looking increasingly unrealistic for the Lilywhites.

To make matters worse, rival clubs are interested. Manchester United, Manchester City, and Arsenal all appreciate Tonali’s qualities, meaning Tottenham face a brutal battle to make further headway. Spurs want a deep-lying orchestrator, yet paying an absolute premium looks incredibly risky given the competition. The former AC Milan player had a decent campaign on Tyneside, but whether his baseline output warrants a record-breaking sum is a major question mark.

Assessing the £100m valuation

Let’s be completely honest. A £100m price tag for Tonali is utter madness.

During the 2025/26 Premier League season, the midfielder made 35 appearances for a struggling Newcastle side. His return? Zero goals. Just two assists. Nine-figure central midfielders need to be transformative, match-winning geniuses. The Italian simply wasn’t that player last term. Newcastle finished above a 17th-placed Tottenham, and their lack of European football forces them to demand silly money to comply with financial fair play rules.

Spurs have cash. The board is reportedly ready to back De Zerbi with a wage package of over £275,000 per week. Blowing the entire summer budget on one underperforming asset is reckless, though. The squad has too many holes.

They should walk away. Better options exist.

Crystal Palace starlet Adam Wharton, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, or Feyenoord prospect Kees Smit offer far greater value. Wharton controls games with superb, progressive passing. Scott drives forward with real energy. Crucially, both would cost half of what Newcastle demands.

Investing £40m to £50m on a younger midfielder allows Levy to distribute the remaining cash across a leaky defence and a toothless strike force. Tonali apparently wants the move to London to play under De Zerbi, but the financial terms make zero sense for a club that barely survived relegation. Spending £75m was already a massive, borderline desperate statement. Walking away now protects Tottenham’s long-term squad building.

Transfer news: Sandro Tonali open to Tottenham as Spurs push

Transfer news: The transfer market rarely stays quiet for long, but this is a proper curveball. Italian journalist Matteo Moretto has dropped a massive update: Sandro Tonali is firmly on Tottenham Hotspur’s radar. Even better for the North London faithful, the Newcastle United midfielder is reportedly open to the move.

This isn’t just paper talk about adding numbers to the squad. Spurs want the Italian international to become the absolute focal point of their midfield. Roberto De Zerbi is driving this from the top. He sees his compatriot as the cornerstone of the club’s major rebuilding job. Reports from both sides of the English Channel on 15 June confirm Tottenham have entered the race, well aware that other heavyweight Premier League rivals are sniffing around.

Why the Italian midfielder holds the key to De Zerbi’s revolution?

Context matters here. De Zerbi didn’t just roll up at N17 for a paycheck; he was promised serious backing and a major say in squad construction. Signing Tonali would prove the board meant what they said. The attraction is blindingly obvious. He’s sharp, intense, possesses brilliant positional intelligence, and already knows the pace of English football. No official agreement is on the table yet, but the fact that Tonali is listening to the pitch changes the entire complexion of the story.

From a purely tactical perspective, this makes immense sense. De Zerbi’s system demands central midfielders who can take the ball under intense pressure, turn in tight spaces, and progress play instantly. Tonali does exactly that. He showed real tactical maturity at AC Milan and brought an aggressive discipline to St James’ Park before his departure.

Tottenham lacked character during the dark spots of last season. Tonali brings that missing edge. He’s a leader who drags teammates through ugly matches. Naturally, getting this over the line won’t be easy. Newcastle will want astronomical money, and competing clubs possess deeper pockets. But if Spurs are serious about backing their manager, this is the exact profile they need. He changes the tempo, the atmosphere, and the ceiling of the entire team.

Transfer news: Tottenham plot club-record move for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo

Transfer news: Spurs fans had a bit of a shock on Friday morning. According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham have thrown their hat into the ring for Cody Gakpo with a monstrous €70m package. They are leading the chase. Mind you, Newcastle and Bayern Munich are sniffing around too, keeping a very close eye on the Dutch forward, though neither has actually put a formal bid on the table yet.

Life under De Zerbi

Liverpool aren’t completely shutting down the idea of a sale, either. The word is that real talks won’t even kick off until Gakpo finishes his World Cup duties with the Netherlands. Mid-tournament negotiations are a total nightmare, so that makes sense. Gakpo isn’t throwing a tantrum or demanding an exit. There is a load of noise coming out of the Dutch media claiming he wants out following Arne Slot’s sacking, but that feels wide of the mark. He only signed his current Anfield deal at the start of this season. Because of that, Liverpool hold all the cards, and he will not come cheap.

Right, let’s look at the reality here. Is this actually going to happen? For €70m? Absolutely not. Liverpool rarely bin off players who have just signed a fresh contract. Gakpo had a patchy campaign last term, sure, but the talent is massive. And under a new manager like Iraola, he has plenty to offer. Spurs will probably have to cough up closer to €85m or €90m to get Liverpool to open the door. Even then, why would Gakpo leave? It feels like a lateral move at best. Tottenham are coming off consecutive 17th-place finishes, which is dreadful. He will want guaranteed European football and real ambition.

Then you have Arsenal. Sitting this one out is a smart play from Mikel Arteta. Gabriel Martinelli had a bit of a dip in form, but Gakpo isn’t moving the needle. He isn’t an upgrade. Besides, the market has better left-sided options this summer anyway. Morgan Rogers is out there. Blowing a massive wedge of cash on a bloke Liverpool view as a squad player is just bad business for a team trying to win titles. Let Spurs chase this one.

Transfer news: Manchester City Eye Pedro Porro Return as Right-Back Search Intensifies

Transfer news: The summer transfer window is barely open, but Manchester City are already making moves to solve their right-back dilemma. According to transfer reporter Ekrem Konur, the Premier League champions have firmly entered the race for Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro. City want defensive reinforcements. Specifically, they need someone dynamic on the right flank, and Porro has caught their eye.

The 26-year-old Spain international is no stranger to the Etihad. City actually owned him between 2019 and 2022, though he never played a single minute for the senior team before being sold on. Now, he could be coming back. With only two years left on his current contract in North London, Spurs face a massive decision.

Reports from Spain via AS suggest contacts have already happened. Representatives have been sounded out. Rumours suggest Tottenham value the full-back at around £50 million, a hefty price tag but peanuts to City if they get desperate.

Yet, don’t expect Tottenham to roll over. Fabrizio Romano reports that Spurs have zero intention of selling. Porro is vital. He is a massive part of Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical plans. For now, it’s just a concrete interest. No official bids have landed on the table yet.

A Summer Saga in the Making

This rumour has legs. It makes total sense for City. Pep Guardiola needs a modern, inverted full-back who can create danger from deep, and Porro fits that profile perfectly. He already knows how the club operates. He is entering his prime. Why wouldn’t City want him?

Tottenham hold all the cards here, though. De Zerbi cannot afford to lose his most creative outlet after a chaotic campaign. Porro was one of the few bright spots last term, bringing endless energy and personality to a stuttering side. Selling him now creates a massive, unnecessary hole in the squad.

Cash talks, obviously. If Man City rock up with a ridiculous offer, Spurs will listen. That is just how football works. But Porro isn’t agitating for a move, and Spurs are dug in.

My take? Expect a long, drawn-out saga. The noise will rumble on for months while City look at other options. Tottenham will likely offer him a bumper new contract to secure his value. Unless City drop a mind-blowing bid that forces a total rethink, Porro will be lining up for Tottenham come August.

Transfer News: Tottenham Eye Roma’s €35M Defender

Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as serious contenders in the race to sign AS Roma centre-back Evan Ndicka, according to a fresh report from TuttoMercatoWeb published this weekend. Roma have placed the 26-year-old Ivory Coast international on the market at a price of €35m, with Tottenham, Inter Milan, and Olympique Marseille all registering interest. The transfer news has gathered pace quickly, given how prominently Ndicka featured in Roma’s season across all competitions.

Transfer News Background on Ndicka’s Season

The centre-back made 42 appearances in all competitions for Roma this past season, scoring five goals, before suffering a hamstring injury on the final day of the campaign. That sort of output from a central defender naturally draws attention from clubs rebuilding their squads. Roma’s FFP obligations this summer make selling Ndicka feel almost inevitable to those tracking the club’s financial situation, since he represents a pure-profit sale after arriving on a free transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023. Furthermore, the Corriere della Sera reports that Ndicka himself would prefer to stay at a Champions League club, which makes perfect sense given Roma’s hard-fought return to European football’s top tier after seven years away.

Transfer News Complication at Spurs

Tottenham’s defensive picture this summer remains unsettled, with the futures of both Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin shrouded in uncertainty. Spurs have already agreed contracts with Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson on free transfers from Bournemouth and Liverpool respectively, though they want further defensive reinforcements amid those uncertain situations. Roberto De Zerbi specifically targets Ndicka for next season, so there is genuine tactical interest from the Spurs head coach.

Will Tottenham Realistically Get This Done?

Honestly, the obstacles here are significant and stacking up fast. Van de Ven, Senesi, and Ndicka are all left-footed centre-backs, meaning adding the Ivorian would badly skew the balance of Spurs’ defensive unit. That alone raises serious questions about whether this pursuit makes structural sense at all.

Beyond squad shape, the player’s own preference creates a genuine problem for Spurs. Roma qualified for the Champions League this season, and Tottenham did not. Roma’s Champions League participation gives them a trump card in any retention argument, since it directly competes with everything Tottenham can offer Ndicka at this stage. A player who just fought through a full Serie A campaign to reach Europe’s biggest stage is unlikely to step sideways into a club without European football.

Roma reportedly value the defender between €40 and €45 million when actual offers arrive, despite the €35m figure circulating in initial transfer news reports. That gap matters. Tottenham, working through financial constraints of their own, would need to stretch considerably beyond the headline figure to force a deal through. Inter Milan present a more coherent footballing proposition for Ndicka, and Marseille could offer Europa League football alongside a serious project under a strong manager. Spurs have the appeal of the Premier League, but without European football and with a squad already carrying three left-footed centre-backs, the logic simply does not hold together convincingly enough to back this deal reaching completion.

Transfer news: Tottenham Hotspur have been heavily linked with a move for Andrew Robertson in recent months, and according to Fabrizio Romano, they have now secured a verbal agreement with the Scottish defender. The deal, which had been building since January, finally arrived after a nervy finish to the season.

Transfer news: Robertson agrees Tottenham move as Juventus hijack fails

Tottenham confirmed their Premier League survival with a 1-0 win over Everton on the final day, and that result directly triggered Robertson’s move, since the agreement in principle was always contingent on Spurs retaining top-flight status. This transfer news had been building for months, and the confirmation is significant.

Robertson bid an emotional farewell to Liverpool supporters ahead of his free transfer exit, having spent nine years at Anfield as one of the finest left-backs in club history. The £160,000-a-week defender made his final appearance for the Reds in a 1-1 draw against Brentford, with his Liverpool contract set to expire on 30 June 2026. He lost his starting spot to summer signing Milos Kerkez and chose to leave in search of regular playing time, particularly with the World Cup approaching.

Transfer news: Juventus bid to hijack Tottenham deal fails

Juventus launched a hijack attempt for Robertson while he waited to see whether Tottenham would secure Premier League survival, with the Italian club speaking directly to the player and his agents as they pushed hard for a deal. However, Fabrizio Romano confirmed Tottenham won the race, with the pact expected to be respected and the deal signed soon.

Transfer news: How De Zerbi fits Robertson into his Spurs rebuild

Left back has been a position of chronic unreliability throughout Tottenham’s difficult season, with Destiny Udogie’s form fluctuating and a lack of genuine quality cover leaving the side consistently exposed on that flank.

De Zerbi builds teams from the back with enormous demand placed on full-backs to carry the ball, overlap aggressively, and sustain pressure in wide areas. Robertson, even at 32, still reads those demands instinctively. Throughout his best years at Liverpool under Klopp, he operated almost as a second winger in possession, constantly stretching defences and arriving late into crossing positions.

De Zerbi will use him in exactly that way. Beyond the tactical fit, Robertson brings something less measurable but equally important to a dressing room that nearly suffered relegation. His rejection of Juventus signals genuine faith in De Zerbi’s project, and that kind of buy-in from an experienced winner is precisely what a young, unsettled squad needs heading into a critical season.

Transfer news: Pedro Porro has made it crystal clear that leaving Tottenham is the furthest thing from his mind, despite a summer of heavy transfer news swirling around the club. Speaking to Onda Cero Extremadura, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, the 26-year-old right-back was refreshingly direct: “I have a contract with Tottenham. I haven’t even had time to glance over. We’ve been focused until the last minute.” It was a composed, unambiguous statement from a player who helped keep Spurs in the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Everton on the final day of the season, a result that condemned West Ham to the drop instead.

Transfer news: Porro dismisses exit talk after Spurs’ dramatic survival

The timing of his call-up to Spain’s official 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, confirmed on 25 May by manager Luis de la Fuente, made this a week of genuine double celebration for Porro. With Dani Carvajal not selected, Porro is now likely to compete with Marcos Llorente for the starting right-back role for La Roja in North America. It is a remarkable turn of fortune for a defender who endured the bitter disappointment of being left out of Spain’s Euro 2024 squad, only to watch his country lift the trophy without him.

Transfer news: What clubs have been chasing Porro?

Barcelona were reportedly preparing a bid to beat Real Madrid to Porro’s signature as recently as May, while Manchester City, under sporting director Hugo Viana, a long-time admirer of the Spaniard, had shown genuine interest. Tottenham’s hierarchy had also identified Porro alongside goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as primary candidates for sale in a planned summer overhaul, according to The Telegraph. His contract runs until 2028, and he is currently earning under £100,000 a week, well below what his profile now demands.

Transfer news: What is the right call for Spurs?

Keeping Porro this summer would be the smartest decision Tottenham could make. He is one of the very few players who genuinely improve as the pressure rises, and his form under Roberto de Zerbi in the final weeks of the season was precisely why Spurs survived. Tottenham had planned to offer him a new contract, contingent on avoiding relegation; that condition is now met, and the club must act quickly.

Letting a World Cup right-back leave on the cheap, while trying to rebuild a squad that has finished 17th in back-to-back seasons, would be a deeply counterproductive move. Tying him down to an improved deal would send a far stronger message than any new signing possibly could. The transfer news around him will only grow louder after the World Cup. Spurs need to get ahead of it now.

Transfer news: Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are both seriously interested in signing Parma midfielder Mandela Keita this summer. The Belgian moved to Parma from Royal Antwerp in August 2024 for €13 million plus bonuses, and he’s been a mainstay in the team ever since, putting in over 2,900 minutes across 37 matches this season. Both clubs have had scouts tracking him since February, and that interest has now turned into a real push to get a deal done before the 2026/27 season starts.

Transfer news: Tottenham and Aston Villa are ready to battle for Parma’s Mandela Keita this summer

Atalanta have also entered the race. Reports from Parma Today suggest they see Keita as the perfect replacement for Éderson, who looks likely to leave Bergamo this summer, with Manchester United currently leading Atlético Madrid in the race for the Brazilian. Tutto Atalanta added that Spurs and Unai Emery’s side are prepared to go head-to-head in a high-stakes bidding war for Keita. While Transfermarkt values him at €18 million, Parma are expected to hold out for at least €25 million before they even consider a sale.

On the pitch, Keita is known for his raw athleticism and defensive work rate. He leads the Parma squad with 2.2 tackles per 90 minutes in Serie A, and reporter Sacha Tavolieri even called him one of the best defensive midfielders in the league back in January. With a contract running until 2028, Parma have plenty of control in any talks. The only real downside is his lack of creative play; he rarely splits a defence open in tight spots, so any team signing him would likely need a more creative playmaker alongside him.

Transfer news: Do Aston Villa actually need Keita more than Tottenham does this summer?

Villa’s lack of depth in the middle was obvious in their recent 2-1 home loss to Tottenham, where Ross Barkley struggled to make an impact. Keita seems like a much more logical option for Villa Park than he does for Spurs. Tottenham already have a crowded midfield with the likes of Pape Matar Sarr, Conor Gallagher, Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, and Yves Bissouma, so their need for him isn’t nearly as urgent.

Transfer news: Emery’s system relies on non-stop pressing and smart positioning, two things Keita excels at. While the Belgian is still working on his creative side, Emery is exactly the kind of manager who can help him develop that part of his game. Ultimately, the move makes perfect sense for Villa, whereas for Tottenham, it feels more like they’re just keeping an eye on an opportunity.

While Burnley and Wolves are nailed to be playing Championship football next season, there’s one other relegation spot ‘up for grabs’.

It would have been unthinkable to consider Tottenham Hotspur for the drop at the beginning of the campaign. There was plenty of optimism among supporters that the side could challenge for a top six spot.

However, despite advancing to the Champions League last sixteen stage, Spurs’ top-flight status is under real threat. Here are five reasons why they’re going down with the Burnley.

Tottenham have been in freefall over the past few months. Since winning 1-0 at Selhurst Park, they’ve failed to secure a top-flight victory. This success was on 28 December and the failure to land three points in the past eleven matches means the prognosis is bleak.

Tottenham need a visit to Liverpool like a hole in the head but that is what’s happening on Sunday. Since earning a morale-boosting 2-2 draw with Manchester City on 1 February, it has been five straight losses.

Cristian Romero’s red card led to a defeat at Old Trafford, with home reverses then coming against Newcastle United and Arsenal. A 2-1 defeat happened at Craven Cottage before that 3-1 loss against Palace.

Just as Romero returns from suspension after his stupid red card challenge at Old Trafford, Micky Van de Ven goes to the sidelines after being sent off against the Eagles.

There have been thirteen goals conceded in the past five losses and that came after conceding a previous eleven in the five matches leading up to this. They’re regularly conceding more than two goals and that makes it hard to earn points.

Being in the Champions League last sixteen would normally be cause for celebration and optimism. However, few Tottenham fans are getting too excited about Europe.

The last thing that the squad need now is to be heading to the Spanish capital to face an Atletico Madrid side who could do some real damage when lining up twice against Spurs in the space of eight days.

Tudor came in as a Mr Wolf-style character, determined to rescue Tottenham and have a short-term impact at Spurs. However, three straight defeats was the opposite of a bounce factor and perhaps the club are now looking to move towards yet another manager in the hope of staying up.

Tottenham might be looking to change manager sooner rather than later. They’re definitely in a Premier League relegation scrap and head to Anfield on Sunday.

While Igor Tudor remains in charge of first-team duties for now, the Croatian could be on borrowed time if Spurs have a difficult week. There’s a reasonable chance that someone could come in as early as next week.

We look at four potential longer-term candidates for Tottenham as they look to consider their options for the 2026/27, hopefully as a top-flight team.

The Argentine was a big hit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He nearly led the North London side to Champions League glory, with the South American being in charge at Spurs between 2014-19.

How the supporters long for the stability of a long-term manager. The 54-year-old is currently in charge of the United States team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Perhaps after that tournament has finished, there’s the chance that Tottenham will be able to bring him back.

De Zerbi’s success with Brighton is probably only just being realised. The Italian was in charge of the Seagulls between 2022-24, having replaced Graham Potter to good effect.

During his first campaign in charge at the Sussex club, De Zerbi guided Brighton to a seventh-placed finish and a place in the following campaign’s Europa League. He has recently left Marseille and could be open to a return to England.

Keane is an ex-Spurs player who is currently in charge of Ferencvaros in Hungary. Previously to that, he had a spell at Maccabi Tel Aviv and is clearly ambitious to become a successful manager.

The Irishman has also been linked with the soon-to-be-vacant position at Crystal Palace and perhaps we’ll see him taking the reins at one London EPL club this summer.

Parker is fighting a losing battle to keep Burnley afloat in the Premier League although he did engineer promotion thanks to a 100-point haul in the Championship last term.

The former Tottenham midfielder might throw his hat in the ring to take charge and rebuild a squad, with Parker potentially more desirable if the club do get relegated.