“100% passion” – Sandro Tonali speaks on Tottenham Hotspur move

“100% passion” – Sandro Tonali speaks on Tottenham Hotspur moveSandro Tonali to Tottenham: Why Roberto De Zerbi Sealed the Deal

style="text-align: justify;">Tottenham did not land Sandro Tonali by accident. They paid £100 million, made him the biggest signing in the club’s history and, more importantly, sold him a clear idea. In modern football, that usually matters as much as the fee.

>

style="text-align: justify;">Tonali has now explained why Spurs won the race despite interest from Arsenal and Manchester City. The answer was simple, Roberto De Zerbi. According to the midfielder, it took one short conversation to settle it.

Roberto De Zerbi made immediate impact

style="text-align: justify;">Tonali said, “My first impression was really positive. When you are happy after a ten-minute speech, it’s everything, everything is perfect.” That is direct and revealing. Players at this level hear polished pitches all the time. Few are convinced that quickly.

>

style="text-align: justify;">He added, “The gaffer was Italian, Roberto. I knew him. Roberto really cares about his work, his football. He said, ‘The project will be tough but will be perfect for me, for you, for the city, and we can do one of the best seasons, because we have big players. We just have to put a lot of work in.'”

Photo IMAGO

>

style="text-align: justify;">That tells you what Tottenham sold, intensity, ambition and a role at the centre of it. No fluff, no vague promises, just a football argument backed by conviction.

Tottenham project beat Arsenal and Man City interest

style="text-align: justify;">Tonali made clear that the club hierarchy also played a major part. He said, “When we spoke with Tottenham, we decided to sign for this team. They spoke with 100 per cent passion, 100 per cent seriousness.”

>

style="text-align: justify;">That line matters. Passion alone does not close major transfers. Seriousness does. Spurs clearly presented a plan, and Tonali bought into it quickly.

>

style="text-align: justify;">He continued, “For this city, for my life outside of football for my family, OK, it’s like 10 per cent. Roberto and the director made the difference to the deal.” That is blunt and useful. Lifestyle helped, but football drove the move.

>

style="text-align: justify;">Tonali also revealed how quickly he knew. “I spoke after two minutes with my wife and my family and I said, ‘Probably it will be one of my best decisions of my career.’ She told me, ‘You have 100 per cent the control over this decision’. I wanted to speak with her because it’s our life.”

Italy return was ruled out by price

style="text-align: justify;">There was another layer to this transfer. Tonali admitted that his first choice was to return to Italy. That did not happen because no Serie A club could meet the numbers required.

>

style="text-align: justify;">He said, “We had decided to come back in Italy, but it was impossible for the money. 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.”

>

style="text-align: justify;">That narrowed the field, but Spurs still had work to do. Tonali finished with the key line: “I spoke with two teams, I understood after ten, 15 minutes that Tottenham would be my next team.”

>

style="text-align: justify;">In short, Tottenham did not simply outspend rivals. They were sharper, clearer and more convincing. For a £100 million signing, that is exactly how it should be.