“Deal on” as Spurs in talks to sign the new Mousa Dembele

You have to say, ENIC Group are nothing if not ambitious, getting active at the start of the summer transfer window and attempting to bring any number of talented players to Tottenham Hotspur.

But Spurs have shown intent before. The club’s decline over the past several years has not festered from a reluctance to spend, but rather, to direct their funds toward the right areas, to sign the right players.

Roberto De Zerbi had a significant effect on Tottenham’s struggling players when he took the reins during the March international break. The 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at home seemed to have condemned Spurs to relegation, but they turned it around.

The Londoners need to turn away from the territory that has put them in unwonted relegation conversations, and instead drive toward European contention once again.

To achieve that, they need to keep spending.

Romano confirms Spurs move for new midfielder

Tottenham have been working on revamping their backline, and they have also been pushing for Manchester City winger Savinho, a deal which is still in the pipeline.

But it’s the midfield which is at the heart of the problem, and signing the right player (or two) could reinforce De Zerbi’s structure and reopen creative channels.

Fans have been treated to a flurry of activity from the decision-makers, who are scouring the market. The problem, of course, is that Spurs’ ambitions align with those of their rivals in the Premier League.

As per Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have met Tottenham in the race to sign Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, confirming that it is “deal on” for the Italian maestro.

Tonali has emerged as a top target for the Londoners in recent weeks, and he is more than open to explore a move to Spurs following initial talks.

Manchester United are looking to progress with a deal themselves, and for both clubs, the 26-year-old’s £100m price tag could prove prohibitive, but Spurs’ interest is genuine, with De Zerbi leading the charge for his countryman.

Why Tonali can be Spurs’ new star midfielder

Tottenham might not be the cream of the Premier League crop at the moment, but signing a midfielder such as Tonali would help steer them back in the right direction.

The midfield has certainly lacked something. Gone are the days of Mousa Dembele, who marshalled and contributed toward every facet of the role, of multiple roles. Now, Spurs have been left with something stodgy and imbalanced, lacking the glitter of once before.

Tonali is not really a player who shines through data-driven analysis. He does not boast the creativity and unrelenting output of his Magpies captain Bruno Guimaraes; nor the intensity of Joelinton.

However, he is still “one of the best midfielders in the world”, as his agent Beppe Riso has claimed. Few can balance Tonali’s balletic elegance and crunching defending, his presence in the middle of the park.

Tottenham need such a profile. Joao Palhinha is one of the toughest number sixes of his generation, and Conor Gallagher brings dynamism to the midfield, but none match Tonali’s all-encompassing nature, and in that, he could even establish himself as Spurs’ new Dembele.

This is a workhorse, and a thoroughbred maestro besides who likes to cover immense stretches of ground. He really could have something Dembele-esque about him, the Belgian once considered as a “genius” by Mauricio Pochettino.

Dembele didn’t score a bunch, nor did he create with regularity. Not in the eyes of the data charts, in any case. Across 249 appearances for the Lilywhites, the midfielder scored ten times and assisted 11 goals. That was not his forte, but that did not diminish him.

The same can be said for Tonali, who waives the headline-stealing glitz that comes with a more ‘prominent’ role, drawing more attention from the casual viewer.

No, this is someone who would add something fundamental to De Zerbi’s Tottenham team, someone who would reinforce and reignite a midfield lacking the robustness required of challengers at the right end of a Premier League table.

Get it done, ENIC Group. Tonali is one of the best midfielders in the world, and he would change a great deal down Hotspur Way.