Newcastle United CEO David Hopkinson has admitted he has ‘no idea’ whether or not Arsenal were presented with the chance to sign Sandro Tonali by the midfielder’s agent during the January transfer window.
News broke right at the end of the transfer window that midfielder Mikel Merino would be out of action for some time after picking up an injury and reports emerged on deadline day that Tonali was being monitored by the Gunners.
Reports claimed that his representatives supposedly indicating to ARSENAL that a move could be negotiated, but in the end, the big Italian International obviously stayed put and now the clubs CEO has responded to the reported news.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Hopkinson was asked whether there was any truth in stories claiming Tonali’s agent was behind this recent transfer speculation.
“I have no idea. That’s our answer,” he replied. “Eddie [Howe] got it right, he doesn’t know, I don’t know. Here’s what I do know: he’s a superstar player, he’s under contract here.
“He’s not the only player we had that other clubs would covet, so I think if we get a situation where people aren’t trying to muck about and sew some chaos into the marketplace in order to dislodge our players then we’ve got a real problem.
“Sandro has been a wonderful player, a smile’s on every day I see him, I believe he’s happy here and we’re certainly happy with him.”
Tonali’s agent, Beppe Riso, has publicly denied that he offered his client to Arsenal. “I read it, but Newcastle won’t let Sandro leave in January, and we never talked to Arsenal about this,” he said.
“We will evaluate in March whether Newcastle are open to anything, but right now he is playing in the Champions League, it is not the right moment to talk about it.”
The news comes after Tonali’s agent, Beppe Riso, has publicly denied that he offered his client to ARSENAL, but has admitted that the midfielder could leave at the end of the season: “I read it, but Newcastle won’t let Sandro leave in January, and we never talked to Arsenal about this,” he said.
“We will evaluate in March whether Newcastle are open to anything, but right now he is playing in the Champions League, it is not the right moment to talk about it.”
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