Tonali and Fernandes: Why De Zerbi Will Pay Anything
Written by Noah J.N.
If Tottenham really want Roberto De Zerbi to play his football in North London, they can’t just hand him any two midfielders and hope for the best. The entirety of the Italian’s tactics lives and dies with the double pivot, and that’s exactly where Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes become more than just the midfielders of the future, they become the complete engine of everything he wants to accomplish on the pitch.
De Zerbi’s teams at Brighton and Shakhtar relied on a risk-inducing build-up. The centre-backs and goalkeeper circulate the ball around in their own third, with two midfielders dropping deep to form a square - looking to create an advantage in the numbers game. The midfielders are then required to attempt one of the most difficult tasks in the sport. Baiting the press. A staple of De Zerbi’s tactics, the midfielders look to stretch out the other team by forcing them to try and win the ball back high up the pitch. De Zerbi’s teams are patient, and methodical, and are willing to wait and continue passing around the ball until they get what they are looking for. De Zerbi will then look to use the other team’s expansion across the pitch to open dangerous passing angles that let the team instantly switch from build-up to a transition attack. An extremely effective tactic in order to avoid dissecting a compact, conservative defense.
Most often, we are likely to see De Zerbi play a 4‑2‑3‑1, with the double pivot sitting close together, one dropping between the centre-backs, the other staggering slightly higher to receive the ball, and carry it forward. In order to rely on tactics like this, you need to rely on two midfielders who are not only good enough technically to command the build-up, but also two midfielders who have the energy and defensive qualities to win the ball back in case of a turnover in this very dangerous area.
Sandro Tonali ticks the “controller” box almost perfectly. At Premier League club Newcastle United, he has consistently posted strong defensive metrics (interceptions, tackles and defensive duels) alongside high-volume, high-accuracy passing.onali completed 1,563 passes at 84% in 2,543 minutes last season. That’s more than one pass every 100 seconds for Newcastle.
Tonali was touching the ball almost every possession, a role he thrived in for the club. In De Zerbi’s structure, he becomes the outlet needed to make the system work. He’ll be looking to drop alongside or between the centre-backs, receiving the ball with his back to the goal, and using his on the ball quality to either continue the circulation of the ball, or get into a position where he can help carry the ball himself, or make a pass to the more advanced midfielder Mateus Fernandes. Tonali has also showcased high accuracy in switching the ball during the build-up. While not known for his ability to play through balls or over the top balls, if Tonali isn’t required to do this in a system that relies on Fernandes for these passes, Tonali becomes a perfect fit.
Mateus Fernandes can act as the perfect, complimentary partner in the pivot. Fernandes can supply much-needed dynamism like he did for West Ham in the 2025‑26 Premier League season, completing 1,562 passes at an impressive 87% success rate, placing him inside the top bracket of Premier League midfielders for ball retention. He added 3 league goals, 4 assists and 33 key passes, ranking around the top quarter of midfielders for chance creation while still maintaining strong pass-accuracy metrics. An impressive feat on a struggling squad who would end up relegated to the EFL Championship. Statistical profiles show him sitting in the mid‑to‑upper percentiles for progressive carries and forward pass completion, exactly the blend of security and ambition De Zerbi asks from his more advanced pivot. Fernandes will look to be supporting James Maddison (or whoever plays the 10) in the final third as another midfield option that can make an impact high up the pitch.
Together, Tonali and Fernandes give Spurs the balanced engine that matches De Zerbi’s ambitions. Both are comfortable in tight spaces, and used to playing in high-intensity environments - two non‑negotiable qualities when inviting opponents to press you 25 yards from your own goal. Although the price tags are going to be high, there is a reason Roberto De Zerbi is looking to spend big on the midfield. It runs his build-up, his offense, and is required to play the game in a risky, dangerous way that opens up opportunities not only for the rest of their team, but sometimes the opposition - and with midfielders like Tonali and Fernandes, De Zerbi will be looking to place his bets on himself.
