Tottenham have responded to a slow opening with successive Premier League wins, beating Coventry City 3-1 before recording a 2-0 victory away to Chelsea on Saturday. The results have offered a first clear sign that a summer rebuild involving more than £300 million of spending is beginning to take shape.
Tonali, who joined from Newcastle United in a deal that could reportedly reach £100 million, discussed the team’s progress with Sky Sport Italia. His comments were reported by Milan News after the win over Coventry and before the Chelsea fixture.
“Monday was a bit of a wrap-up for this first part of the season. It's been a constant growth, we shouldn't just look at our start but take the positives,” Tonali said.
“The performances were excellent, everyone loves the coach, who is suffering more than anyone here at Tottenham. We know we have a lot to give him because we haven't achieved anything yet. Since last week, we've been much more of a team, we can't stop. We need to stay positive and play our football.”
De Zerbi arrived late last season and helped Tottenham steer clear of relegation during the final weeks of the campaign. That survival was followed by a substantial overhaul, with 10 new arrivals and several established figures leaving, including former captain Cristian Romero.
The squad needed time to settle, and the results did not immediately match the scale of the summer investment. Tonali’s assessment suggests the group now believes it is beginning to understand the coach’s demands, although he stressed that the team has not yet achieved anything.
The midfielder also spoke about his continuing attachment to AC Milan, where he played before moving to Newcastle. Despite now representing Tottenham, he said the Italian club remained close to his heart.
“Milan will always be my favorite team, no matter how much time passes,” he said. “Even in 20 years, I'll continue to follow them whenever my commitments allow, because this feeling will never change.”
Tottenham’s victory at Chelsea was only their second league win in 42 visits to Stamford Bridge, and their second consecutive win under De Zerbi. The immediate task is to turn that improvement into consistency, rather than allow two strong results to disguise the work still required.