It Took Me ’10 Minutes’ to Choose Tottenham — Tonali

By Charles Maduka

Sandro Tonali has revealed that it took him just “10 minutes” to decide to join Tottenham after speaking with manager Roberto De Zerbi, describing the Italian coach as the key reason behind his club-record £100 million move from Newcastle United.

The 26-year-old midfielder said a meeting with De Zerbi at his home near Brescia immediately convinced him that Tottenham was the right club for him, despite receiving interest from another team.

“Honestly, I spoke with another team [also],” Tonali said.

“When you speak with a team, the first impression is a big thing and my impression was very positive.

“When you are happy after a 10-minute chat, it’s everything, everything is perfect.”

Tonali explained that his relationship with De Zerbi dates back almost 10 years to the coach’s time at Sassuolo, when he first attempted to sign him.

The pair also share strong ties with Brescia. De Zerbi grew up supporting the Italian club and later played for them, while Tonali began his professional football career there.

“We spoke about Brescia, about the difficult situation facing our club,” Tonali said, referring to the bankruptcy of his boyhood club following its relegation to Italy’s third division.

According to the midfielder, De Zerbi got in touch with him shortly after Tottenham secured Premier League survival last season, with further discussions later taking place at his home.

“Brescia is so small. I had two weeks there and met him two or three times,” he said.

Tonali revealed that he discussed the move extensively with his wife before reaching a final decision, adding that his family wanted a fresh start.

“I spoke with my wife; this was the first thing. We wanted to change our life, but not just for the city; we wanted to change everything. We spoke with two clubs.”

Although the prospect of living in London appealed to his family, Tonali stressed that football remained the most important factor in his decision.

“England was our solution and we found the best solution in England for me, for my career, for my football, for my happiness, for my family. I spoke with two teams. I understood after 10, 15 minutes that Tottenham would be my next team,” he added.

Tonali also insisted that his departure from Newcastle was not motivated by unhappiness at the club, praising former manager Eddie Howe and sporting director Ross Wilson for their support during his time on Tyneside.

“Eddie was fantastic for me,” he said, adding that he hopes to remain friends with Howe and wishes Newcastle continued success.

The Italian international acknowledged that his £100 million price tag comes with greater expectations but maintained that it would not change who he is as a person.

“I don’t know your impression about football players like me, but honestly, I’m a normal person. When I go back to Italy, I go to my family, to my grandma, to my friends. If it is perfect for my family, it is perfect for me,” Tonali said.