Arsenal lead race for Sandro Tonali
Image Credits: Imago Images
Newcastle United are bracing for a summer of bids for Sandro Tonali, and the queue forming on Tyneside is a measure of how far the Italian has travelled.
He arrived from AC Milan in 2023 for £55 million, served a 10-month ban for breaching gambling rules within months of landing on Tyneside, and has since rebuilt himself into one of the most complete midfielders in the Premier League.
Newcastle stood by him through the ban and were repaid with two full seasons of the player they thought they were getting.
Now, with an asking price hovering around £100 million, they are preparing to cash in.
Manchester United were among the first to circle, and the profile fits everything the rebuild has been crying out for, a 26-year-old in his prime, Serie A schooling, Champions League minutes and a pressing game already proven in this division.
However, United have since told Newcastle they will not enter the race.
The combined weight of a nine-figure fee and Tonali’s wages has been judged too heavy for a window in which the midfield overhaul has to stretch a good deal further than one signing.
That leaves the field clear for others, and Newcastle have long had one name pencilled in at the front.
Newcastle consider Arsenal as front-runners for Sandro Tonali
The Telegraph reports that the club consider Arsenal the favourites to sign Tonali, and have been expecting a bid from the Premier League champions since he was first linked with the Emirates back in January.
Tottenham’s recent noise has not shifted that view, and if anything, Newcastle suspect the leaking of Spurs’ interest is designed to flush Arsenal out.
Manchester City have been kept informed, but their summer is built around Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, and whether they would stretch to two expensive midfielders in a single window is unclear.
Tottenham, under Roberto De Zerbi, are said to have been encouraged by Tonali’s camp to open the bidding, a development that reportedly surprised figures at St James’ Park, who had been told Arsenal and City were the player’s preferred destinations.
There has been no contact with anyone yet this summer, and with Tonali tied to a contract running to 2029, and an option for a further year, so Newcastle feel no urgency.
They have also learned their lesson after the Isak saga, where the striker was eventually sold to Liverpool for a British-record £128 million after going on strike.
Unfortunately this taught Newcastle to be pragmatic with players who want out, so it’s expected they’ll listen on Tonali.
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