Sandro Tonali has explained why he chose Tottenham Hotspur over Manchester City for his £100million move away from Newcastle United, saying he decided within 10 minutes of speaking to the club.
Speaking in an interview conducted inside Tottenham's team hotel near the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Tonali said his first priority when leaving Newcastle was to secure the best possible deal for the club. He said he told his agent and Newcastle sporting director Ross Wilson that he wanted Newcastle to get everything they deserved, adding that everything in life and football can change in five minutes.
Tonali's exit talk came on the same day that Eddie Howe's departure from Newcastle was revealed. Tonali said he could only speak for himself and that it was simply time for a change after three seasons at the club, following discussions with his family.
Newcastle set a £100million asking price for Tonali, which shaped his options. He said he and his family had initially wanted to return to Italy, but clubs in Serie A could not afford the transfer fee.
Tonali said the family had spent three years in Newcastle and discussed the situation together, concluding it was impossible to return to Italy for financial reasons. He said that while salary could always be discussed, a move could not happen without the transfer fee being met, and that England became the solution for his career, football, happiness and family. He said he spoke with two teams and knew within 10 to 15 minutes that Tottenham would be his next club.
Manchester City were understood to be the other club interested in Tonali, who has won 32 caps for Italy and is 26 years old.
Family decision and De Zerbi's role
Tonali said that after last season he spoke with his wife about wanting to change their life completely, not just move city. He said they spoke with two clubs, and that Tottenham approached the conversation with total passion and seriousness. He said the city and his life outside football counted for around 10 percent of the decision, while manager Roberto De Zerbi and the club's director made the difference.
Tonali said he spoke with his wife and family after two minutes and told them it would probably be one of the best decisions of his career, and that his wife told him he had full control over the decision. He said he wanted to speak with her because it affected their life together.
He said De Zerbi told him the project would be tough but perfect for him, the club and the city, and that with the team's big players they could have one of their best seasons if they put in the work.
Alongside Tonali, Spurs also spent £85million signing Mateus Fernandes from West Ham to complete their midfield. Asked about becoming a £100million footballer, Tonali said transfer prices have changed compared with 10 years ago. He said he was aware of the pressure but knew his responsibilities as a football player and the people at the club, and that he had to play with passion and energy every day regardless of the fee, staying true to what the manager needed from him.
Tonali spent a decade in Italy with Brescia, which is De Zerbi's hometown, and the pair had met there before. He described having a "mini connection" with De Zerbi, saying they had spoken about his work and the passion he brings to every moment with the team, and that after two weeks at Tottenham he could see it was real.
Tonali said all managers are different, and that he spent three years with Howe, who he called fantastic, especially for him personally. He said he has now found a different manager who works heavily on tactics and possession, adding that Tottenham love to play with the ball because they are a big team with big players.
