Rome’s Nations League defeat has sharpened the focus on Sandro Tonali, whose record-breaking move to Tottenham has made every quiet performance harder to overlook. Italy lost 2-0 to Belgium on Friday in their opening Group A1 fixture, with the 26-year-old midfielder receiving a poor reception for an understated display in Roberto Mancini’s starting side.
Tottenham paid about €116 million for Tonali’s transfer from Newcastle, a fee reported at roughly R$720 million and enough to make him the most expensive Italian player in history. The scale of that deal has brought a new level of expectation around both club and country.
In Italy, the criticism has centred on the belief that Tonali should be taking greater responsibility in the national midfield. One particularly severe assessment described his current spell as a crisis, arguing that the player has looked drained when the pressure has been at its greatest.
A difficult start in north London
The concerns from the international break follow an unconvincing beginning to life at Tottenham. The London club remain bottom of the English league table with two points and are still waiting for their first win of the campaign.
Tonali’s price tag, often referenced as a £100 million-level investment, has become inseparable from the scrutiny. What was intended to mark a new status for Italian football’s most expensive export has instead left the midfielder facing questions on two fronts: a struggling Tottenham side and an Italy team beaten by Belgium in Rome.
