Club-record £100m signing Sandro Tonali took "10 minutes" to decide to join Tottenham from Newcastle after meeting manager Roberto de Zerbi at his home. The 26-year-old said a shared passion for his boyhood club Brescia played a key role in the move. De Zerbi texted a mutual friend during last season to ask whether Tonali might be interested in joining Tottenham and was told: "He is open." His immediate focus was securing Premier League survival and, the day after Tottenham beat Everton to avoid relegation, De Zerbi contacted Tonali about a potential move. Tonali said his connection with De Zerbi stretches back nine years to the coach's spell in charge of Sassuolo, when he wanted to sign him.