Newcastle United have agreed to sell Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur for a club-record €116m, leaving the Magpies suddenly needing to revamp their midfield.
The Italy international will reunite with fellow Brescia native Roberto De Zerbi in North London. Newcastle purchased Tonali from Milan for over €60m plus add-ons merely three years ago, but have now sanctioned his departure for nearly double that initial investment.
Serie A targets identified
With Tonali’s exit confirmed, reports suggest Newcastle have turned their attention back to the Italian market, specifically targeting Inter’s Davide Frattesi and Fiorentina’s Nicolò Fagioli.
Frattesi, 26, appears the more attainable option. The former Sassuolo midfielder is under contract until June 2028, though Inter are reportedly willing to accept around €30m. He has found starting opportunities limited at the San Siro and was previously linked with a move to Nottingham Forest. The Nerazzurri consider him surplus to their current project.
Fagioli offers a different profile. The 25-year-old technician joined Fiorentina from Juventus only in February 2025 for a total package of €16m plus add-ons. A product of the Turin giants’ youth system, he has accumulated 100 Serie A appearances, registering six goals and 11 assists.
Controversial connection
Curiously, both Fagioli and the departing Tonali carry shared baggage. Both players received lengthy suspensions in 2023 for violating gambling regulations. Fagioli’s case emerged whilst he was at Juventus; he voluntarily contacted authorities regarding his gambling addiction, inadvertently sparking the investigation that subsequently ensnared other professionals including Tonali.
What happens next
Newcastle must now navigate the transfer market swiftly to avoid starting the campaign undermanned in central midfield. While Tonali’s transfer to Spurs is a completed deal, interest in Frattesi and Fagioli remains at the inquiry stage. The Magpies would need to negotiate separately with Inter and Fiorentina, with neither club reportedly having received formal bids as yet.