Sandro Tonali hasn’t quite settled down at Tottenham after his big-money summer move from Newcastle United.
Tottenham Hotspur went into the international break on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa, and are currently bottom of the Premier League table.
Spurs invested one of the highest-ever sums into new additions in Premier League history after consecutive 17th place finishes. The early signs suggest that Spurs still have plenty of work to do to compete for European League spots this season. If things don’t drastically improve, a third successive campaign in the bottom half of the table could once again be on the cards.
Tottenham great Chris Waddle thinks Roberto De Zerbi’s players are trying their best to turn their fortunes around. Sandro Tonali was one of 10 new signings completed by the Lilywhites during the summer transfer window, arriving on an eye-watering £100million deal from Newcastle United. The Italian has endured a slow start to life in north London, leading to scrutiny from the fans and the media.
Sandro Tonali gives positive injury update on international duty
Tonali’s arrival was the statement of intent Spurs were looking for in the summer, but across five games, he has looked average and not convinced the fans. Roberto De Zerbi came to his compatriot’s defence after the Newcastle United defeat, suggesting that the player is lacking 100 per cent physical fitness despite having a full pre-season under his belt.
The central midfielder has started every single one of the five Premier League fixtures this season. He missed the Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool earlier this month due to a slight knock. Now, with the Italian national team for the UEFA Nations League games, Tonali was asked how he feels. The Tottenham man provided a positive update on his fitness.
“Physically, I’m 100% now; the discomfort I had has resolved. I’m ready to do my part,” Tonali was quoted by Calciomercato.
“It doesn’t matter if I play as a midfielder or a playmaker, especially since the roles can be different. It depends on the match: sometimes one role is better, sometimes another. The important thing is to have a great game.”
Italy began their UEFA Nations League campaign with a 2-0 loss to Belgium at home last week, and Tonali received plenty of criticism following the defeat. The combative midfielder is expected to start against Turkiye on Monday night, and all the Tottenham fans will be hoping to see a strong performance from him.
Hopefully, the 26-year-old stays injury-free and returns to N17 unscathed from international duty. Tonali will be under a lot of pressure to perform in a Spurs strip once domestic action resumes next month.
