​Liverpool, England – November 29: Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United (8) arrives for the Premier League clash with Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium on November 29, 2025. (Photo by Serena Taylor/The Newcastle United via Getty Images) Newcastle United has lost a second member of last season’s XI as Sandro Tonali nears a move to Tottenham less than three weeks into the summer transfer window. The deal could reach up to £100 million, about €117 million, and would set a club-record transfer for Tottenham if completed. Now a Tottenham player and no longer part of Newcastle United, Tonali has explained why the move to Spurs proved so hard to resist. In an interview with Sky in Italy before he travels to London for his medical, Tonali credited Roberto De Zerbi with playing a “huge role” in his decision to leave Newcastle for Tottenham. He said the move wasn’t solely about football, but also about family and lifestyle after three years in Tyneside, a place he felt he needed to leave. “It was also a lifestyle and family choice,” Tonali noted. “We had been in Newcastle for three years, and last year our lives changed when our son was born, so we decided to completely change our lives.” Given his remarks, it’s reasonable to infer that Tonali had already made up his mind to depart a year earlier. Tonali, however, emphasized that he is leaving Newcastle on good terms and that both sides worked to reach the right outcome, which aligns with him signaling his intentions to depart as soon as last year. “We had an agreement with Newcastle, and we parted on very good terms,” Tonali said. “They wanted the best for me, and we wanted the best deal for Newcastle.” The sale is expected to free Newcastle to reinforce several positions across the pitch, adding to the earlier decision to part with Anthony Gordon and the potential sale of Bruno to Arsenal. This update is optimized reach.