When he was serving his ten-month ban for breaching betting regulations in the latter half of 2023, Tonali renegotiated his Newcastle contract, extending the length of the deal to 2029, with an option for additional 12 months to 2030.
That has not stopped repeated speculation linking the Italian midfielder with a return to his homeland, with Juventus the latest Serie A side to have been touted as a potential destination for the 25-year-old.
Tonali claims that everything that has happened since he arrived from the San Siro has strengthened the bond linking him to Newcastle, and is adamant he is happier than at any other stage of his career.
However, Isak was making similar noises prior to going on strike in order to force through a move to Liverpool, so rather than making meaningless promises about his own long-term plans, the Italian was keen to be as honest as possible when he was asked about his future in the wake of Newcastle’s Champions League win over Athletic Bilbao.
“This is a tough question,” said Tonali, when asked whether he saw his long-term future at St James’ Park. “Because, you know, (in) football you need to think year for year.
“I don’t want to say I want to stay here ten years and in two years, three years, four years, five years I will go. Every player here… I want to think, just for me, year for year.
“This is football. The last summer was tough for us, for Alex (Isak), but this is football. If you have an option for your life, for another team you need to think about everything.
“I don’t want to say, ‘Yes, I want to stay here ten years’, but now I’m happy here. I don’t think anything about another team.”
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While news of Tonali’s contract extension only emerged last month, the new deal was signed more than two years ago, so to the Italian, it is hardly a fresh development.
It was eagerly seized on by Newcastle fans as proof of the midfielder’s loyalty, though, with Tonali admitting he agreed to the proposal because he wanted to give something back to the club that was supporting him.
“I’m happy about it [the renegotiated deal],” he said. “This extension was three years ago after the ban, so I don’t know why in the last week everybody spoke about this.
“I signed after the ban for another year, after my problem. And I’m happy, not just for one more year here, but I’m happy for the people, for the fans, for every player, every member of the staff here in Newcastle.”
As well as extending his contract, Tonali also agreed to give up a significant portion of his wages after he confessed to breaching betting rules while playing in Italy.
The offences might have occurred before he had moved to England, but the ban was imposed while he was a Newcastle player, meaning his first season on Tyneside was effectively rendered meaningless.
That hurt Newcastle, but it also hurt Tonali, to the point where he wanted to make a sacrifice to show he understood the extent to which he had let people down.
“When I had the ban, when I was out off the pitch, I signed my contract for one year because it was difficult staying off the pitch for my fault,” he said. “It was for all my problem, so it was difficult to have all the money from this team.
“The club spoke to me, spoke with my agent, and I signed for one more year. But it wasn’t about the money, it wasn’t about one more year. It was because I have confidence in this team and this team have confidence in me. So, we worked together.”
And having emerged out of the other side, with his suspension now firmly in the past, Tonali feels he has grown as both a player and a person, with Newcastle reaping the benefit as he cements his position as one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League.
“Every time when you have a problem in your life, and you have the chance to change something, then you are another person,” he said. “That’s not just with me, it’s with you, with everyone, every person in the world.
“If you know everything and you know it is your fault, then if you are a young person, you need to be aggressive with yourself and change quickly.
“You need to put certain things out of your life and change your life because you only have one life, and you need the best for it. So yes, I’m another person now.”