The Newcastle United recruitment team face a frantic summer. Whispers around St James’ Park suggest a major exit is looming, with Italian international midfield general Sandro Tonali linked to almost every top 6 heavyweight.
Fabrizio Romano broke the Tottenham news early this week. Roberto De Zerbi wants his compatriot badly to reinforce the thin midfield options available to the Spurs boss. Spurs reportedly even tabled an initial £80m offer, but Newcastle slapped that away without a second thought. In the current climate of sky high transfer fees for such high level operators it was a derisory bid for a player of his calibre.
Then came the twist. David Ornstein revealed Arsenal harbour serious intentions to hijack the deal. Mikel Arteta views the Italian maestro as a massive upgrade on the likes of Martin Zubimendi and would offer even more dynamism to existing midfield options of Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The multi-club scramble for the Italian midfielder
Sandro Tonali would be a perfect fit for Michael Carrick’s Manchester United revolution as the midfield ace is just what the Red-Devils need to upgrade on the disappointing Manuel Ugarte who simply has not delivered at Old Trafford.
Whether Tonali fancies United when Arsenal and Spurs are certain options remains to be seen but reliable journo Ben Jacobs has covered the genuine United interest in the Newcastle man.
It gets messier. Graeme Bailey threw Manchester City into the mix, claiming the PL 2025/26 runners-up plot an audacious £200m double swoop for Tonali and Nottingham Forest standout Elliot Anderson.
A genuine bidding war is happening right now. Newcastle are holding out for in excess of £100m. Surviving a brutal relegation scare last season left the Magpies feeling incredibly vulnerable. Eddie Howe needs funds.
The squad is depleted and exhausted. Meanwhile, Tonali’s agency, GR Sports, smells a lucrative move. They will pocket a staggering 10 per cent cut of any sale.
Why does cashing in make perfect sense for Howe?
In a word cash. That is what it comes down to in late June 2026. Newcastle need massive amounts of it. Flirting with disaster last season meant barely keeping their heads above water, and hanging onto a star who fancies a change of scenery risks poisoning the dressing room.
Cashing in represents their smartest play. Extracting a £100m+ fee gives Howe an immediate war chest to rebuild a underperforming squad. It instantly solves any lingering Profit and Sustainability problems, giving the Geordie hierarchy vital breathing room.
Spurs look tempting on paper. De Zerbi promises exciting, expansive football. Unfortunately, the Lilywhites lack Champions League pull. Choosing north London rivals Arsenal guarantees elite European nights under the floodlights. Any top-tier professional wants that.
Under Arteta, the coaching staff run a tight ship, demanding relentless pressing and tactical discipline. The Gunners need a dictator in the engine room. Martin Zubimendi looked sluggish during the title run-in last May. Declan Rice needs a dynamic partner to share the defensive load. Arsenal provides that perfect stage.
Man City hoover up talent constantly, but City ruin careers just as easily as they forge them. Kalvin Phillips serves as a brutal warning for anyone thinking the grass is greener at the Etihad. Moving up north offers guaranteed trophies, sure. Heavy rotation, frustrating spells warming the bench, and unpredictable minutes inevitably follow. An elite operator demands 40 starts a season. United face similar problems, lacking a cohesive sporting project despite Jim Ratcliffe throwing money around.
Newcastle face an obvious path. Start a bidding war. Let Arsenal and Tottenham punch each other out over the transfer fee until someone breaks the nine-figure mark. Johan Lange looks desperate to back his new gaffer, while Andrea Berta rarely refuses to pull the trigger on prime midfield targets. Right now, the Magpies hold all the cards. They just need to wait until someone blinks. Arsenal or Spurs must stump up the cash because Newcastle refuse to drop the asking price. Tonali simply watches the numbers climb.