Friday, 24 July 2026
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Summer transfer window 2026: Tonali nears £100m Tottenham move as Xhaka agrees Chelsea deal

With the World Cup over, the transfer market is heating up: Sandro Tonali is closing on a £100m Spurs switch, Granit Xhaka has agreed Chelsea terms, and Allegri takes over at Napoli.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Photo: Arne Müseler via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 de)

By Source Reporters Newsdesk

Fri, 24 July 2026 · 1 min read

With the 2026 World Cup wrapped up, club football's summer business is accelerating — and there are still more than six weeks left before the window shuts.
The summer transfer window opened on June 15 and closes at 11pm UK time on September 1, giving clubs a long runway to reshape their squads after the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Among the biggest moves taking shape, Sandro Tonali is closing in on a switch to Tottenham worth up to £100 million, with new head coach Roberto De Zerbi said to have played an influential role in the midfielder's decision.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Granit Xhaka ahead of a potential move from Sunderland, adding experience and steel to their midfield.
One of the summer's most closely watched sagas involves Julian Alvarez. Barcelona are keen to sign the 26-year-old, who is said to want to leave, though Atletico Madrid insist there will be no sale — a standoff that could run deep into the window.
There is movement in the dugouts as well as on the pitch. Napoli have confirmed Massimiliano Allegri as their new manager for the 2026-27 season, a marquee appointment for the Italian side. Franck Kessie, meanwhile, has hinted strongly at a return to European football, with Juventus among the clubs monitoring his situation.
Post-tournament windows are often the most dramatic of all. Standout World Cup performances can send valuations soaring, while players and clubs use the break to reset ambitions for the season ahead.
With Deadline Day still weeks away, supporters can expect plenty more twists — the kind of frantic negotiation, late bids and surprise switches that make the transfer window a season in miniature.