**The Arsenal pursuit of Sandro Tonali ended with the midfielder joining Tottenham after a brief conversation with Roberto De Zerbi. Tonali says the Spurs head coach needed only ten minutes to convince him to complete a club-record £100million move from Newcastle United.**
Arsenal and Manchester City were also interested in the Italy international, according to [talkSPORT](https://talksport.com/football/4483126/sandro-tonali-tottenham-roberto-de-zerbi-arsenal-man-city/).
However, Tonali quickly became convinced that Tottenham offered the best project for him and his family. He was impressed by the passion and seriousness shown by De Zerbi and the club’s recruitment team.
“When you are happy after a ten-minute chat, it’s everything,” Tonali said while speaking during Tottenham’s pre-season tour.
The 26-year-old revealed that his first preference had been to return to Italy. No Serie A club could meet Newcastle’s asking price, leaving another Premier League move as the most realistic option.
Tonali confirmed that he held talks with two clubs before choosing Tottenham, although he did not publicly identify the other team.
His move represented a setback for Arsenal after Andrea Berta had previously explored the possibility of bringing him to the Emirates Stadium.
However, the Gunners have since moved closer to signing Tonali’s former Newcastle team-mate. ReadArsenal reported on Friday that [Arsenal have reached a €90m agreement for Bruno Guimaraes](https://readarsenal.com/2026/07/31/arsenal-reach-e90m-agreement-to-sign-bruno-guimaraes/).
Guimaraes offers similar Premier League experience and can operate alongside Declan Rice in Mikel Arteta’s midfield.
Missing out on Tonali also prevents Arsenal from committing £100m to another central midfielder. That money can now support other areas while the club work to complete the Guimaraes deal.
Tottenham won the race because De Zerbi immediately presented Tonali with a convincing role. Arsenal must ensure Guimaraes has an equally clear place within Arteta’s plans.