Tottenham open talks for Newcastle star Sandro Tonali after £80m bid rejected

Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks with Newcastle United over Sandro Tonali after an opening bid in the £75m-£80m range was rejected. Newcastle want about £100m for the Italy midfielder, a valuation that underlines how quickly the club has shifted from promising upstart to a side now forced to protect its best assets.

The contrast with Tottenham is stark. Spurs finished 17th in the 2025/26 Premier League, only two points above relegated West Ham United, and survived by beating Everton 1-0 on the final day. Newcastle finished 12th with 49 points, a mid-table return that still left the club outside the league’s established elite while now trying to hold on to a player that bigger spenders continue to view as available.

Tonali arrived at St James’ Park from AC Milan in July 2023 on a five-year deal, initially through 2028, and scored on his debut in a 5-1 win over Aston Villa the following month. His first season in England was then wrecked by a 10-month ban from competitive football after he admitted 50 breaches of FA betting rules. The Football Association’s sanction took effect on 27 October 2023, and Newcastle announced his return to selection on 28 August 2024.

Newcastle stood by Tonali through the suspension, and his value has only risen since his return. Tottenham’s move is notable because Newcastle were surprised by the approach, with Tonali’s camp previously discussing Arsenal and Manchester City as possible destinations. City are also understood to be monitoring the situation, keeping Newcastle under pressure from clubs with greater financial reach and stronger Champions League credentials.

That is the challenge Newcastle now face. A club that once sold itself as an upwardly mobile project is having to defend its most prized midfielder from rivals who can offer a more immediate route to trophies and European football. Tonali’s price tag has become the clearest measure yet of the gap Newcastle still have to close.