Tottenham Targets Tonali and Fernandes in Ambitious Double Swoop
Tottenham Hotspur have already torn into this summer window with intent. Four significant arrivals are in the door – Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and Martin Dubravka – all signed off for Roberto De Zerbi’s first full assault on the Premier League with Spurs.
And yet, that is only the undercard.
The real headline, according to Fabrizio Romano, is a midfield rebuild of staggering scale: Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, together, in one window, wearing white at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tonali pursuit stays alive despite £80m rejection
Spurs’ interest in Tonali is no passing flirtation. They have already tested Newcastle United’s resolve with a bid of £80 million, an offer Sky Sports reported on June 20 had been firmly rejected.
Newcastle’s stance is clear. TEAMtalk report they want at least £100 million for the Italy international, a figure that reflects both his pedigree and their lack of urgency to sell.
Romano, though, insists the chase is very much on. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he doubled down on his earlier line that this is Tottenham’s move, not a league-wide auction.
He reiterated that Tottenham are “working on the deal to sign Sandro Tonali” and that nothing has changed in that regard. No Manchester City, no mystery contenders in the background. In his words, it remains “Tottenham – Tonali. Deal on.”
For Spurs, landing the former AC Milan lynchpin would be a statement of intent that stretches far beyond the balance sheet. It would give De Zerbi a deep-lying controller with Champions League pedigree, someone to dictate tempo in a side already being reshaped in his image.
But the ambition does not stop there.
Fernandes chase sets up £185m midfield gamble
Running parallel to the Tonali saga is another high-end pursuit. Tottenham want Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United – and they want him as well as Tonali, not instead of him.
Fernandes, a Portugal international, has become one of the most talked-about names in this window. Romano describes his situation as “one of the most intriguing cases” on the market, and it is not hard to see why.
West Ham, he has consistently reported, value Fernandes at around £85 million. Add that to Newcastle’s £100 million stance on Tonali and Spurs are staring at a potential outlay of £185 million on two midfielders alone.
The Hammers’ position is brutally simple: they will accept the best financial proposal. The player will then decide his destination. It is a straight bidding war, and everyone knows it.
Tottenham are not alone in the race. Manchester United are firmly in the frame, even after securing Ederson from Atalanta. They still want Fernandes and are, as Romano puts it, working “behind the scenes” on the deal.
So this becomes a duel. Spurs and United, both talking to the player’s camp, both trying to convince him they are the right project at the right time.
A battle that could define Tottenham’s summer
Romano is clear: Tottenham want both Tonali and Fernandes. This is not a case of one or the other, not a fallback plan if one move collapses. It is a double push, aggressive and expensive, with Spurs “pushing to close” while United refuse to step aside in the Fernandes chase.
For De Zerbi, the prospect is tantalising. For Daniel Levy and the club’s hierarchy, it is a financial and strategic crossroads. Commit to this level of spending and Spurs reshape their midfield – and their ceiling – in a single window. Fall short, and the narrative shifts to what might have been.
As things stand, talks continue, numbers swirl, and the market waits. Tottenham have made their intentions public by action and by rumour. Now comes the hard part: turning that ambition into signatures before someone else gets there first.
