Leon Osman’s praise for Sandro Tonali has aged well. This report, updated on 1 October 2026, still explains why the pundit singled out the Italian during Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. The Sandro Tonali Leon Osman verdict from that afternoon remains the clearest public endorsement of the midfielder’s season so far.
Roberto De Zerbi lost his opening two Premier League matches of the campaign, and Spurs’ form has since turned a corner. Tonali has been central to that shift. A month on, he is still a guaranteed starter whenever De Zerbi picks his midfield.
Leon Osman Seriously Impressed by Sandro Tonali
Osman watched Tonali closely during the Forest fixture and liked what he saw. The former Everton midfielder praised the Italian’s work rate in blunt terms.
Sandro Tonali is getting around the pitch; he’s involved in every little challenge that is happening.
Osman followed up with a second observation that summed up Tonali’s contribution that day.
He is putting himself about for their cause.
Both comments point to the same quality. Tonali covers every blade of grass and never ducks a tackle. For Spurs fans who watched him close down Forest runners all afternoon, the praise rang true.
How Sandro Tonali Fits Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham Midfield
Tonali remains a first-choice name on De Zerbi’s team sheet, and it is easy to see why. The Italian coach wants a midfield that presses high, wins the ball back quickly, and keeps running even when the plan is not working.
That system leans on Tonali’s engine. He is the player asked to shuttle between boxes, break up opposition attacks, and start Spurs’ own moves from deep. Osman’s description of a player “getting around the pitch” is really a description of the job De Zerbi has given him.
The approach has not always paid off straight away. De Zerbi’s selection choices early in the campaign, including De Zerbi’s early squad management tactics, showed he was already building a settled axis in midfield with Tonali as a fixture, even through the disappointing defeat at Brentford. Results have since improved, and Tonali’s consistency has been a theme of that recovery, including during the home fixture against Aston Villa.
The Sandro Tonali Leon Osman assessment captures a simple truth. Without that work rate, De Zerbi’s press does not function the way it needs to.
What Happens Next for Tonali and Tottenham Hotspur
The evidence so far points one way. Tonali keeps his place and keeps doing the unglamorous work, and nothing in current reporting suggests that role is about to change.
What is not confirmed is anything beyond his continued selection. There is no basis here for talk of a move away or a new contract, and none is suggested. The clearest guide to his standing remains the original report on Osman’s praise, published in the days after the Forest game and still accurate a month into the season.
