It wasn't too long ago that Tottenham Hotspur supporters had to endure the much-maligned duo of Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, the midfield pairing representing a steady yet unspectacular spine in north London.

Fast forward to the present day, and there's a new £185m engine for Roberto De Zerbi to work with, following the statement arrivals of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.

In Tonali's case, the Italian had been a leading target for Manchester City before De Zerbi pounced, while Fernandes had looked destined to end up at Manchester United, before the Old Trafford side were gazumped by this ambitious ENIC regime.

Those two new arrivals might not necessarily spell great news for the likes of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, but it's hard to argue with the proven Premier League quality Spurs have brought into the building.

Fernandes and Tonali's Premier League careers so far

Starting with Tonali, the 26-year-old did move to Newcastle United on a £55m deal back in 2023, albeit while subsequently missing almost the entirety of that first season due to a gambling ban.

It wasn't until 2024/25 that the ex-AC Milan man really came alive, scoring and assisting six goals in the Premier League, while starting 28 games for the Magpies.

2025/26 wasn't exactly plain sailing, as he failed to register a single goal and recorded just two assists in a turbulent year for the Tynesiders, but the midfielder's boundless energy is just one reason why Paul Scholes selected him as the division's leading player in his position last year.

Tonali has already got off the mark in pre-season too after netting against Chelsea, while Fernandes - who is currently sidelined with injury - had earlier rifled in a stunning effort in the opening exchanges against MK Dons.

That comes after two promising seasons for the Portuguese in English football, even with the 21-year-old suffering successive relegations with Southampton and West Ham United.

In 2024/25, for instance, the young playmaker scored and assisted six goals for the Saints across his 36 outings, while also creating six 'big chances' and averaging 1.4 successful dribbles per game.

In 2025/26, Fernandes again made 36 league appearances, 34 of which were starts, while scoring and assisting seven goals, creating three 'big chances' and averaging 0.8 successful dribbles per game.

There's plenty to like about what the pair offer, although that's not to say that Spurs couldn't look to strengthen their midfield ranks even further.

Spurs could look to sign a third midfielder this summer

With Yves Bissouma out the door and Joao Palhinha back at Bayern Munich, it's easy to see why midfield depth might be needed, particularly with Bergvall believed to be pushing for an exit.

James Maddison is again on the treatment table, while Rodrigo Bentancur's minutes will have to be managed carefully, considering his own long-standing fitness woes.

With that in mind, it makes sense as to why the Lilywhites might be looking to sign Mainz midfielder, Kaishu Sano, as reported by German outlet FussbalDaten.

The report suggests that Tottenham have opened talks with the player's agent regarding a potential move, with an 'official offer' also seemingly in the pipeline.

The north Londoners aren't alone in their interest in €60m (£51m)-rated talent, however, with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle United also mentioned as potential suitors.

That speaks to how highly-regarded the Japanese star is, fresh from having sparkled at the World Cup amid his thumping effort to open the scoring against Brazil in the round of 32.

As he showed against Carlo Ancelotti's men, the 25-year-old is another mobile, all-action midfielder, in the mould of Fernandes and Tonali, someone who is also durable, having started 34 Bundesliga games last season.

Sano scored and assisted three goals, created six 'big chances' and averaged a stellar 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game across 2025/26. For comparison, Tonali and Fernandes averaged 1.9 and 3.9 for that latter metric, respectively.

Interestingly too, as noted by Scout Lab, Spurs' two new signings both rank among the ten most similar players to the Mainz man across Europe's top seven leagues, with Tonali in second and Fernandes in tenth.

That likeness is certainly an encouraging sign, suggesting that Sano could be a worthwhile understudy to the pair next season, with the £51 man proving himself to be a reliable dependable asset during his time in Germany.

Indeed, he's started all 68 Bundesliga games since joining in 2024, indicating that he shouldn't, all being well, follow the trend of injury woes at N17 that has plagued recent seasons.

Of course, he might not be a household name, but that likeness to both Tonali and Fernandes bodes well for what he can offer at Premier League level.