Tottenham reportedly turned down the possibility of including Archie Gray in a swap deal for Sandro Tonali.
Newcastle United proposed a swap deal involving Archie Gray for Sandro Tonali on 2 July, but Tottenham rejected the offer, per Team Talk. The Magpies have now signalled fresh interest in the young midfielder, with reports indicating Newcastle had already seen a bid rejected by Tottenham.
There are two fundamental questions when it comes to Archie Gray. One is whether Tottenham want to sell him, and the second is how he views his future at the club following some major arrivals. Spurs signed Mateus Fernandes in an £85 million deal from West Ham and broke the club record within 24 hours.
Tottenham then reached an agreement worth a reported £100 million for Sandro Tonali the following day. Fernandes and Tonali will likely form De Zerbi’s primary midfield pairing, leaving Gray to compete for a third-midfielder role—a diminished standing that reflects Tottenham’s summer priorities.
Newcastle United fail with Archie Gray swap formula
Newcastle United are well-known admirers of Gray, and recent reports stated they had already seen a bid rejected by Tottenham for the midfielder. That offer might have come in the midst of the Tonali negotiations, as the report strongly states that the Magpies had also tried another formula.
Newcastle United reportedly wanted to explore the idea of including Gray as part of a swap deal for Tonali, which Spurs turned down. Tottenham have suggested Gray is not for sale, but there are questions over whether they will stick to that stance going forward.
Gray’s profile lacks the proven pedigree of Tonali or Guimaraes, and his position in De Zerbi’s midfield hierarchy is now precarious. Tottenham have suggested Gray is not for sale, but questions remain over whether they will maintain that stance.
Spurs took a similar position on Luca Vuskovic before eventually caving to pressure from the player and Brighton to agree a sale. Newcastle’s persistence could test Tottenham’s resolve in the same manner.
Confusion around Newcastle United’s initial bid
As reported by multiple outlets, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Tottenham rejected Newcastle’s bid. However, Sky Sports reported denying a bid from the Magpies, which has led to confusion over the veracity of Newcastle’s interest in the midfielder.
With Tonali now moving to Tottenham and Bruno Guimarães attracting interest from Arsenal, Eddie Howe faces the challenge of reshaping Newcastle’s midfield. Gray could address that vacancy, but his profile, as noted, acks the elite European experience of the players he might replace. The outcome hinges on whether Tottenham hold their ‘not for sale’ stance or yield to Newcastle’s persistence.
