Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has been full of praise for one new summer signing, thanks to his qualities, personality, and values.
Tottenham Hotspur were quick to make splash the cash this summer transfer window, spending a whopping £237 million in the first month.
That financial outlay included two big-money purchases for a combined £185 million, with Mateus Fernandes joining for £85 million before Sandro Tonali came in for a club record £100 million.
The pair have since settled into north London, making several appearances in pre-season already, with Tonali getting 331 minutes under his belt while Fernandes managed 163.
Tonali started the opening 3-0 defeat to Brentford and seemed to struggle with his range of passing and the pace of play. Fernandes, meanwhile, came off the bench at half-time and was arguably Tottenham’s best player.
Roberto De Zerbi on Sandro Tonali’s impact at Tottenham
Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has now opened up on what it is like to work with former Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali.
According to the Spurs boss, Tonali has looked much better than he expected since his arrival in north London. Of course, the pair have known each other for years, but this is the first time they have worked together.
Speaking to football.london about Tonali, De Zerbi said: “Sandro Tonali is better than I thought before working with him, as a player and as a guy.
“I know his family, his agents, and I know they all are good people. I’m very happy to work with him and I think he’s the right player in the right place. Especially because we want to put him inside of the project. He has the right qualities, the right personality, the right values, to stay in this place.”
De Zerbi says Spurs still have work to do despite major summer rebuild
There’s no doubt Tottenham are gradually taking on the identity of a De Zerbi‑built side, thanks to the club’s recruitment so far this summer.
Tonali, Fernandes, Savinho, Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka all stand as players signed by the Italian.
However, the Spurs boss remains adamant that despite the new additions, the side is not exactly where he wants it to be.
He said, when asked how close this Tottenham side is to being the one that he wants to see take to the field: “On paper, it’s very close. On the pitch we have to see and we have to work.
“I am experienced enough not to say too much. I’m very happy with the squad. We have to complete the squad but at the moment very happy.
“The answer I receive from the pitch has to be like my dreams and my thoughts with the board. Maybe we have to see on the pitch. To be honest, everyone, we are very excited but in the end the pitch speaks, as we say in Italian.
“If we start now with big words, I love pressure it’s not a problem of pressure, but if we are to be honest and correct, we have to wait for the answer from the pitch.
“Football is a connection. Football is like magic. You can find sometimes the connection between players when every player thinks like the coach or we come together with an idea of football and the players who don’t start in the team are the biggest fans of the players who are playing. We have to create something on the pitch and off the pitch to compete like we want.”