Sandro Tonali has spoken openly about why he chose Tottenham Hotspur over Manchester City, pointing to manager Roberto De Zerbi and a significant family decision as the driving forces behind his reported £100 million move from Newcastle United.

Speaking to Sky Italia at Milan Linate Airport, Tonali made clear that De Zerbi's personal efforts played a decisive role. "De Zerbi did a great job. He was a huge factor in all this," the Italian midfielder said. "He did it not only as a Brescia native and a friend, but he did it by truly demonstrating that he has a lot of work behind him and he's committed to it."

The Brescia bond

The connection between the two men runs deeper than football tactics. Both Tonali and De Zerbi have roots in Lombardy and share ties to Brescia — De Zerbi grew up in the city, while Tonali came through the Brescia Calcio academy and made his senior breakthrough there before joining AC Milan.

That shared background appears to have given De Zerbi a unique ability to connect with Tonali on a personal level, ultimately tipping the balance in Tottenham Hotspur's favour when Manchester City were also reportedly in the running.

A family decision above all

Tonali also pointed to the arrival of his first child as a turning point in his thinking. "It was a life choice with my family, because we've been in Newcastle for the last three years and last year, our life changed because our child was born," he said. "So we decided to change our life a bit, and De Zerbi made a big difference."

He was equally generous in his assessment of the club he is leaving. "Newcastle wanted the best for me and we wanted the best deal for them," Tonali said. "So we're all happy, and I'm ready for the new challenge."

A step-by-step start

Tonali acknowledged that settling in at Tottenham Hotspur will take time, particularly given the squad is still being assembled during the ongoing FIFA World Cup. "We're definitely going step-by-step. First, getting there, getting the medical examinations, signing, and then we have to take everything slowly, starting with the training camp, which won't be easy," he said.

"The start will not be easy, especially since they're coming off two difficult seasons. We'll try to make sure everything is new and everything is positive."