The Italian manager’s tactical blueprint for his revamped Tottenham squad is the primary driving force behind this pursuit. De Zerbi, who has closely tracked Tonali since the midfielder’s early breakthrough at Brescia, views his compatriot as a foundational pillar for his new project in North London.
The Italian coach previously admitted his desire to work with Tonali during his stint on the South Coast. ‘I wanted to bring Tonali to Sassuolo, if I’d stayed, after his first year at AC Milan,’ De Zerbi said during his time at Brighton. ‘I said, ‘maybe they’ll fall for it and I’ll bring him here’. I saw him at Brescia and thought he was the player he proved to be.’
