Midfielder wants Arsenal over Tottenham as Spurs prepare 2nd bid

Tottenham are ready to push again for the Newcastle midfielder, but Arsenal’s interest could change the shape of the race.

Sandro Tonali is open to joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer, but Arsenal are understood to be his preference if the Premier League champions firm up their interest in the Newcastle United midfielder.

Tottenham are expected to return with an improved offer after seeing an opening bid rejected, with Spurs ready to push hard for a deal and currently regarded as the most advanced club in the race.

The potential fee remains the obvious complication, with Newcastle under no immediate pressure to sell a player who is under contract at St James’ Park until 2029, with an option for a further year.

Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan three years ago in a £55m deal and has since become one of their key players. Despite Newcastle’s financial difficulties, which forced them to sell Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, the club are still likely to demand a substantial fee for the Italy midfielder.

Reports differ slightly on the size of Tottenham’s rejected opening bid, with one figure put at £75m and another in the region of £80m, but the direction of travel is clear.

Spurs are preparing to try again, and Roberto De Zerbi is central to their push.

Arsenal’s position is more complicated. James McNicholas has reported for The Athletic that Mikel Arteta remains a fan of Tonali, though the length of the midfielder’s contract means any deal may prove prohibitively expensive.

David Ornstein has also confirmed interest from Arsenal and Manchester City, adding that Andrea Berta contacted the player’s agent in the January transfer window.

Newcastle were unwilling to do business then, while the asking price was beyond Arsenal’s budget at that stage, anyway. The price does not appear to have come down, although Newcastle now seem open to a deal if a club meets their valuation.

That leaves Arsenal with a decision to make. Tonali’s preference, if Arsenal firm up their interest, gives the champions an obvious advantage over Tottenham, particularly with Champions League football.

Spurs, by contrast, may need to be more aggressive. Back-to-back 17th-place finishes have left them in a very different market position. If Newcastle’s valuation proves too high for Arsenal and City, Tottenham’s best/only chance may be to overpay where their rivals will not. The price of desperation.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are already following up their their long-standing interest in Kees Smit as they prepare for Tonali’s possible departure. The Netherlands midfielder, rated at £60m by AZ Alkmaar, is also attracting strong competition, which underlines the scale of the moving parts around all deals this summer.

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