Sandro Tonali has made it clear, again, that his heart still belongs to AC Milan, even with Roberto De Zerbi building Tottenham’s midfield around him.
The Italy midfielder moved to N17 from Newcastle United in the summer, three years after Milan sold him to the Magpies. In an interview with Sky Sport in Italy, he said he still always watches Milan and always will.
It is not the first time he has said it, and it won’t be the last. But there is more to the interview than a soft spot for the Rossoneri, because Tonali also explained what Roberto Mancini has changed since his return as Italy boss.
What did Tonali say about Milan?
Sandro Tonali was asked whether he still keeps up with his old club, and his answer was as warm as ever.
“Do I follow Milan? Yes, always,” he said. “And that will still be true in twenty years. I always watch them, even if I’m in touch with the players a bit less now because so many of them have changed. I believe a fan can never change their faith. And it will be that way for the rest of my life.”
Tonali first joined AC Milan on loan from Brescia in 2020. Over three years at San Siro he made 130 appearances, scoring seven goals and setting up 13 more, and he was a key part of the side that won the Serie A title in 2021-22. A year later Milan reached the Champions League semi-finals.
He then left for Newcastle in 2023, and the move made him the most expensive Italian footballer in history at the time. He has spoken often about wanting to go back to Milan one day, and he has even described training at Milan’s facilities with the national team as an emotional experience.
Is a return to San Siro realistic?
Not any time soon. Tonali only arrived at Tottenham in the summer, and Spurs paid big money to bring him in. Milan would struggle to match his value or his wages, so any homecoming looks like something for much later in his career, when he is older and cheaper.
For now, Spurs supporters have every reason to enjoy him. He has quickly become a big part of De Zerbi’s side, and his partnership with Mateus Fernandes has already produced two clean sheets in two starts together. Against Crystal Palace, De Zerbi even said Tonali did the work of two players once the visitors were down to ten men.
What has Mancini changed for Italy?
Tonali also spoke about the national team, where Mancini is back in charge. He believes the coach’s first job was simply to bring some order.
“He knows the environment well,” Tonali said. “As soon as he arrived he put things in order, and that was what was needed at the start. Little by little we have put in a lot of work focusing on quality, because the quality of the players is there, and we saw it both in Turkey and in France.”
“Mancini is making us understand that we are strong players, and that we have to attack and defend as a team, always, in every match, for all 90 minutes. He has given us a bit more clarity during games.”
He picked out the away game in Turkey as the turning point. It came straight after a defeat to Belgium and was the first of three good results.
“In the first half we weren’t only aggressive and full of quality, we were organised on the pitch,” he said. “Everyone knew what they had to do, everyone had his space, everyone worked for his teammate. That’s what we worked on so much in training in those 16 days.”
Should Spurs fans worry about Tonali’s Milan love?
Honestly, no. Saying you will always support the club you love is not the same as angling for a move, and Tonali has never hidden how he feels about Milan. He has said much the same at various points since leaving San Siro.
What matters to Tottenham is what he does on the pitch, and so far that has been excellent. He said the Coventry win marked the end of a slow start, and he has looked like the leader of this midfield ever since. If he keeps playing like this, nobody in N17 will mind who he watches on his nights off.
