Roberto De Zerbi has shed light on the conversations he had with Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali this summer ahead of their move to Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs first broke their transfer record on Fernandes before breaking it again 24 hours later on Tonali, paying a combined £185m to bring the pair to North London.
The Lilywhites beat out some big clubs to land the two midfielders, and both players have credited the Tottenham boss as being key to their decisions.
De Zerbi reportedly had multiple phone calls with Fernandes to convince the 21-year-old that Spurs, rather than Man United, would be the right move for him.
Roberto De Zerbi admits he tried to get into the head of Tottenham’s transfer targets
Tonali described his conversation with De Zerbi as ‘magic’, admitting that his mind was made up as soon as he spoke to his compatriot.
The Tottenham boss has now shed light on how he approached those conversations, confessing that he tried to see things from the perspective of the players.
When asked about what he told the club’s transfer targets, De Zerbi responded (via The Standard): “To want to convince one player, I have to be able to come inside their head. Tonali was very young when he started to play in Brescia and was a leader, and I think Tonali needs to play in a big club with big motivation.
“For Mateus Fernandes, it is a crucial part of his career because he needs a particular style of play to show all his qualities.”
De Zerbi admits one Spurs newcomer is like his ‘son’
The Italian also undoubtedly played a key role in bringing Jan Paul van Hecke to Tottenham, with the Dutchman being much sought-after as he entered the final year of his Brighton contract.
The 26-year-old showcased his class at the World Cup this summer, and De Zerbi admits that his relationship with the centre-back is more than that of a player and a manager.
The 46-year-old added: “Van Hecke is like my son because I worked with him for two seasons at Brighton. I know him very well as a character, a personality, as a leader.”