REPORT: Tottenham have second £75m offer for Sandro Tonali refused by Newcastle

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United, arrives at the ground prior to the Premier League match between Newcastle United and West Ham United at St James' Park on May 17, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images

OK, take this rumor with the (admittedly large) caveat that it’s from the Daily Mail. Craig Hope of the Mail is reporting that Spurs have now had two transfer offers for Sandro Tonali rebuffed by Newcastle United. The kicker? Both bids were the same price, £75m. Newcastle are said to be demanding £100m to let Tonali go.

🚨 EXC: Newcastle rebuff second Tottenham approach for Sandro Tonali

💰 Spurs did NOT improve on initial offer, but asked NUFC to reconsider. Swiftly knocked backhttps://t.co/3At7HtfDpa

, Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) June 25, 2026

Now, a reminder, this is coming from the Daily Mail. We don’t usually put much stock in Mail rumors and for good reason, but the transfer window is open and sometimes in that regard our standards tend to… relax on that front here at Carty Free Towers.

So, and hear me out here, for now let’s take this rumor at face value. It is objectively hilarious that Tottenham apparently submitted a bid, had it rejected, came back by offering the exact same bid and having it rejected again. It reminds me a little of what Daniel Levy used to do, or at least what we would pretend Daniel Levy would do in transfer negotiations before he was shot out of a cannon by the Lewis Kids.

Levy: How about £75m?

Club: No.

Levy: Okay, I understand and respect that. But have you considered… £75m?

Club: Go away.

Now, I’ve said before, and I hold to this opinion, that there is no way on God’s green earth that Sandro Tonali is worth £100m. He’s a good player. He’d be our best midfielder by some distance. But he’s an upgrade on the midfielder profile that we already have multiple of, and despite Roberto De Zerbi really liking him I don’t think the opportunity cost is there to make that kind of an outlay on him.

What this story tells me is that Tottenham doesn’t think that kind of opportunity cost exists either, and that’s a good sign. Perhaps it means that we pivot to other targets (o hai Adam Wharton) and move on from Tonali. That’d be an okay outcome for me as well, since spending £75m on Wharton would be a more impactful signing, in my opinion. But that’s just my opinion.

Again, this is a Daily Mail rumor. But I wonder if this will corroborated by other more trustworthy sources in the coming hours. If it is corroborated, it’s both a strangely positive and also objectively hilarious situation. And ultimately it could result in Spurs failing their way into a midfielder who is a better fit.