Tottenham's first move for Sandro Tonali has already been turned away by Newcastle. Fabrizio Romano says a fresh bid is expected, and he also says the midfielder is open to joining Tottenham. The only question now is how far Spurs are willing to go after an opening offer of £75million was rejected.

Newcastle's price is the real hurdle

Romano said Tottenham sent an official £75million bid three days ago and that Newcastle want more. The valuation around the deal is split between a £100million package and a structure built around £85million plus £15million in add-ons. Those are not tiny gaps. They are the difference between a club testing the waters and a club asking for a proper reset of the market.

Newcastle finished 12th in the Premier League with 49 points, yet they are still in a position to hold out for elite money. Their stance makes sense. Tonali is under contract until 2030 and there is no buyout clause, which gives Newcastle leverage and leaves Tottenham chasing the price rather than setting it.

Tottenham still sound serious

Romano's view is clear enough: Tottenham entered the race strongly, and they are not walking away after one rejection. Ben Jacobs also said a fresh bid is expected, while Manchester City remain active in the race without having firmed up interest with a bid. That keeps this from becoming a straight Spurs-only pursuit.

For Tottenham, the case is obvious. They finished 17th on 41 points, and that sort of season creates pressure to upgrade central midfield with more quality. They are already being linked with willingness to go as high as £85million, with add-ons possible, which tells you the club have moved past casual interest and into serious negotiation.

Manchester City's involvement matters too. They finished second, so they can sit in the background and still make the market awkward for everyone else. Alan Shearer also made clear why some people view the move as a surprise, saying Tottenham just avoided relegation and that a switch there would be a surprise career move for Tonali.

That is a fair hesitation, but it does not change the current shape of the deal. Tottenham have had a bid rejected, Newcastle want far more, and the next move is expected rather than speculative. The market now waits for Spurs' second offer and for Newcastle to decide whether £100million is the line they actually want to defend.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →