Tottenham told £90m transfer to ‘run the midfield’ would help them in area they lacked

Former Tottenham defender Kyle Walker has urged his old club to break the bank for Newcastle star Sandro Tonali.

The midfielder has been linked with a move to north London this week, with Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi keen to link-up with his Italian countryman.

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Tonali, who signed for the Magpies from AC Milan in 2023, has been a key component of Eddie Howe’s midfield, but has been linked with a move away from Tyneside.

Speculation began in the final hours of the January Transfer window when his agent reportedly offered the star to Arsenal.

Since then, Tonali’s long-term future at the club has been unclear.

Manchester City and Manchester United have also been linked with the 26-year-old; however, it is understood that should he leave St. James’ Park, his preference would be a return to AC Milan.

Tottenham’s interest comes amid an air of optimism after securing Premier League survival on the final day of the season.

Spurs are hopeful that De Zerbi’s arrival in March will be the catalyst for a much-improved campaign next time round.

A transformative signing

And for Walker, Tonali should be the club’s marquee signing this summer and one that will help bolster Spurs’ midfield.

Asked who Spurs should splash the cash on, he told talkSPORT: “Maybe a Tonali or someone like that who can run the midfield a little bit better than what’s been orchestrated now.”

Tonali is very much a fan favourite on Tyneside, and there is a growing fear that he could soon follow Anthony Gordon out of the exit door.

The Italian maestro has clocked up 110 appearances for the Magpies, scoring ten times and registering ten assists.

Spurs have been active in the transfer market this summer following the acquisitions of Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke, Liverpool’s Andy Robertson and Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi.

Walker believes Spurs already have a squad laden with talent, and with the new signings on board, he hopes they deliver a better campaign next season.

A solid base to build from

“It’s always hard for a load of signings to come into a team, but from (what we saw from Spurs at) the back end of last year, the only way is up,” Walker added.

“I think they are signing good quality players and I hope for them and for the club that they do well.

“I think that they’ve got a good team as it is. I just don’t think they’ve performed well as a team. When you look on paper, they’re very good.

“But in forward areas, you look at [James] Maddison, [Xavi] Simons. Maybe [Dominic] Solanke, but you need a fit Solanke.

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“I think they’re quite well covered and on the bench as well.

“But you don’t know what’s happening with [Cristian] Romero [Micky] Van de Ven and the signings that they’ve made from now on, hopefully they can do well.”