The world of football was stunned with the stunning news of Sandro Tonali’s £100million blockbuster move to Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week from Newcastle United.
It was particularly surprising that Tonali, who had been angling for a move away from Newcastle for a while, chose to sign for a side that has endured back-to-back 17th place finishes in the Premier League.
Dig deeper, and you will come to the realisation that indeed, the reason Tonali chose to move to Spurs despite more appealing moves elsewhere was the gravitational pull Roberto De Zerbi possesses.
In a summer transfer window where Tottenham’s ENIC ownership has completely shattered its historical, prudent reputation under former executive chairman Daniel Levy, the North London club has transformed into the market's ultimate aggressor.
Tonali is not the only big summer buy. The club also sanctioned a move worth £85million for Matheus Fernandes from West Ham, beating Manchester United in the process.
They have also snapped up players like Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton as well as free transfer moves for iconic left back Andy Robertson and Argentina centre-back Marcos Senesi from Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively.
Why Top Players Want to Play for Roberto De Zerbi
De Zerbi has created a reputation for being one of the best tacticians in the World, as he showed during his time at Brighton when his Seagulls played simply orgasmic football as the club finished sixth in the 2022-2023 season, securing a Europa League spot in the process.
He possesses a rare, romantic allure that leads elite footballers into temptation, making the recruitment process remarkably simple for sporting directors. If you can get a target in front of De Zerbi, whether in a plush hotel room or on a Zoom call, the pitch is effectively over. All that remains is for the clubs to agree on a fee.
"He is the only coach I have ever worked with who has solutions for every single player on the field. "Kevin-Prince Boateng told The Athletic.
This unique gravitational pull allows the Italian to access a tier of talent his employers have no business targeting. Historically, his reputation preceded him.
Despite inheriting the worst promoted side in Serie A history in the 2017-18 season after losing their opening 14 matches, De Zerbi used his sheer powers of persuasion to convince former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna and Brazilian midfielder Sandro to join a seemingly hopeless relegation battle.
At Sassuolo, he convinced Boateng, a veteran of AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and Tottenham to move to a small-town team, which revived his career and earned him a shock move to Barcelona in 2019.
He also revived Manuel Locatteli after signing him from Milan, which gave him a springboard to then do well for Italy at the 2020 Euros before he eventually earned a move to Juventus.
At Brighton, he convinced Ansu Fati, who was tipped to be the next big thing at Barca before nightmare injuries took a toll on him, to spend a season on loan there in 2023-2024.
Even more impressive was convincing former Paris Saint-Germain star Adrien Rabiot to cross the bitter divide and join Marseille.
Why Tottenham Have Fully Backed De Zerbi This Summer
By bankrolling this astonishing summer overhaul, the Lilywhites are satisfying the savior who rescued them from the brink of catastrophe.
When De Zerbi accepted the high-risk mission to keep Spurs in the Premier League at the end of March, the owners compensated him heavily.
After successfully steering the club away from a catastrophic relegation in the very season bitter rivals Arsenal claimed the Premier League title, backing their popular manager became an absolute necessity for the board to protect the club's broader value.
With the Premier League currently in a fascinating state of flux, as Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea navigate life under new managerial regimes, Tottenham’s lack of European football gives De Zerbi the ultimate luxury: uninterrupted time on the training ground to mold this squad completely in his image.
While it remains premature to talk of Champions League returns or immediate silverware, the narrative in N17 has definitively changed.
Expectations have been drastically raised. Armed with a squad assembled exactly to his specifications, this charming, tactical romantic must now translate his outsized brand into definitive trophies.
