Sandro Tonali may be Tottenham Hotspur’s newest record signing, but the Italian midfielder already knows several familiar faces from his time with club and country.
When reports first emerged that Tottenham would strengthen their midfield this summer, few expected the club to shatter their transfer record by spending £100m on Sandro Tonali.
A deal for the Italy international was anything but straightforward. Arsenal and Manchester City both showed strong interest, while Newcastle United were reluctant to part with one of their most important players. It ultimately took several bids before Spurs finally got their man, with Roberto De Zerbi playing a huge role behind the scenes.
Tonali later admitted that Tottenham were the only club on his mind and that he had heard plenty of positive things about the club before arriving in North London, perhaps unsurprising given the number of current and former Spurs players he has already shared a dressing room with.
Five Tottenham players Sandro Tonali has already played alongside
Tonali has played alongside 5 current or former Tottenham players during his career, whether at club level or with the Italian national team, which should make his transition into the Spurs dressing room that little bit easier.
The player he knows best is Kieran Trippier. The pair featured together 75 times during their spell at Newcastle United, including throughout last season, and were both part of the side that lifted the 2024/25 Carabao Cup.
Next is current Tottenham left-back Destiny Udogie. The two have shared the pitch 14 times for Italy across senior and Under-21 level, with five of those appearances coming for the U21 side.
Another familiar face is Guglielmo Vicario, who remains at Tottenham but is expected to leave this summer. Tonali and the goalkeeper have so far played 90 minutes together for the Italian national team over the last two years.
New signing Martin Dubravka is another player Tonali already knows well. They made 15 appearances together at Newcastle, and both featured prominently during the Magpies’ Carabao Cup-winning run, starting together in both the quarter-final and semi-final.
Finally comes former Spurs goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, who spent the 2021/22 season on loan in North London. Gollini and Tonali have shared the pitch just once, appearing together for Italy in a EURO qualification fixture back in 2019, although Gollini only came on as a late substitute and the pair were teammates on the pitch for just two minutes.
What Sandro Tonali had already heard about Tottenham
Speaking to the club’s official channels after completing his move, Tonali explained that conversations with De Zerbi quickly convinced him that Tottenham was the right destination.
He said: “I’m very happy to be here. When I arrived at the club, it felt fantastic. People said about there being four or five clubs, there was only one.
“I spoke to the head coach for close to two hours about the club, the fans, the stadium and our football. It was like magic because I knew immediately that I had to sign for Tottenham.
“I’ve played against Tottenham a few times and always found a great atmosphere made by great fans. I can’t wait to start the season.”
Tonali also admitted he is particularly excited about facing his former club Newcastle United.
“We play the second game against Newcastle. I really can’t wait to play this game. I can’t wait to play in this stadium because I played a few times against Tottenham with AC Milan in the Champions League and with Newcastle. Every time I found a great atmosphere and a full stadium. That’s not easy because the stadium is so big.”