Why £26m Spurs target is perfect for Tonali & Fernandes

Is it any wonder Tottenham Hotspur have finished 17th in the Premier League across consecutive years when you consider their shoddy transfer record?

Of course, injuries and overall performance levels have also played a part but the fact of the matter is that they have made some disastrous mistakes in the market.

While Ange Postecoglou previously revealed he targeted Premier League-proven assets in the form of Marc Guehi, Pedro Neto and Antoine Semenyo, the Lilywhites have instead picked up players like Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Luka Vuskovic.

Sure, they have set Spurs up for a brighter future in a few years time but they are not ready to take the north Londoners to the next level now.

So, it would appear that Vinai Venkatesham and Co have finally heeded Ange’s advice this summer. Signing Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes would be the best evidence yet of that.

Spurs targeting a third midfielder after Tonali and Fernandes

This has been a mega start to the summer for Tottenham with four proven Premier League assets having already penned terms in the capital.

Veterans of the game in Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka have both signed while two of the English top-flight’s finest centre-backs in Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke are also now Spurs players.

They could be joined by two mega-money additions in the form of Tonali and Fernandes. The latest on those moves is that the latter is now ‘prepared’ to sign for Spurs, providing West Ham can agree a fee. It looks like he will head wherever pays the biggest fee for his services.

As for Tonali, his situation feels rather more uncertain. Boasting a £100m price tag, Tottenham would have to obliterate his transfer record. There is also a feeling that if Arsenal came calling, the Italian would choose them.

It’s an incredibly exciting time to be a supporter but wouldn’t it just be typical if they didn’t get either of these moves done?

Alas, those behind the scenes are active on even more deals. A player Roberto De Zerbi appreciates is Napoli’s Antonio Vergara.

Reports coming out of Italy at the start of this week have suggested that the Londoners have already submitted a bid to sign Vergara. However, they will face a few obstacles in this race, not least the fact that the Serie A side are offering him a new contract.

Having also received offers from Bournemouth, Como and Atalanta, Napoli have so far rejected all advances. Last month it was noted that bids of £26m had been turned away.

What Tottenham’s pursuit of Antonio Vergara means for Tonali and Fernandes

Can you imagine if Spurs were able to get their hands on both Tonali and Fernandes? Considering Tottenham’s track record, particularly in recent years, of missing out on their top targets, it would send shockwaves throughout the Premier League.

In Tonali, they would be signing one of the game’s finest midfielders and Italy’s heir to Andrea Pirlo. A deep lying midfielder who simply oozes class, this would be the landmark addition that supporters have been craving for years.

In Fernandes, they could sign one of the best young midfielders in the game right now. He simply has it all and at the age of 21, could dazzle from the engine room for many a year to come. As former Southampton man Jo Tessem put it when it when the Portuguese was still at Saints; “Fernandes is becoming an ultimate Premier League midfielder. He plays like a Premier League player. He passes like a Premier League player. He is quick like a Premier League player. He conducts himself so well in midfield.”

Immediately Spurs would be able to say the boast one of the best midfield pairings not just in the league, but in the world.

However, every double pivot needs a creative marvel in front of them, a magician capable of opening the game up and in Vergara, they would find that.

Now, it’s safe to say that the 23-year-old attacking midfielder is not a household name. He actually struggled for regular game time in Naples last term too. The Italian scored three goals and assisted four in 19 outings. Vergara also only started eight Serie A matches.

Yet, do not let that deter you from a player who is simply a joy to watch at the top of the midfield. His wonderful goal against Chelsea in the Champions League drew comparisons to Diego Maradona and while the similarities may not extend much further beyond that, there is plenty to like about Vergara. Still, US pundit Mike Grella still celebrated him as “unbelievable” for that moment.

Last season, he won a whopping three defensive ground duels per 90, putting him in the top 1% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues for that metrics.

Said to be similar to Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, via Scout Lab, it was in 2024/25 where we really saw the young Italian come to life.

During a loan spell at AC Reggiana, he netted five goals and picked up six assists. In the process, Vergara completed completed 2.06 successful dribbles per 90, ranking him first in that metric compared to positionally similar U23 players in the division. 1.67 of those dribbles came in the final third too. He simply loves to progress play.

Across that season, the Napoli man also made 2.72 progressive runs per 90, again ranking him top among his age group and positionally similar peers. That’s good news for those behind him.

With those two metrics in mind, in particular, he would complement Fernandes and Tonali expertly. With Tonali sitting as the deepest of the three, Fernandes in the 8 and Vergara as the 10, they could be a match made in heaven.

For the Newcastle star, who has seen the gangly and less aesthetically pleasing Nick Woltemade playing as the ten ahead of him, he would not doubt lap up playing alongside someone such as Vergara.