Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United
Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United (Image: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Newcastle United chiefs are relaxed about Sandro Tonali's future at St James' Park - despite a hint from one of the Italy star's entourage that he will play again for a Serie A club.
One of Tonali's advisors Marianna Mecacci has signalled that it is not "impossible" that the Toon star will return to his home country, saying: "When? It's hard to say. (But) he will return to Italy.
"It’s hard to say. He is an Italian football treasure; seeing a man grow through difficulties is beautiful. The operation that brought him to England was extraordinary. I realise it caused discontent. Tonali, is a son of Milan, he has faith there and will remain forever, he was sold for a record sum.
"It was also a choice to try a new experience. As long as the opportunity of the Premier League exists, he will take advantage of it, but it is impossible to think that he will not return to Italian football."
Tonali still has three years left of his current deal and after missing 10 months of action due to a ban last season has stated he is indebted to the club for sticking by him. The £55million man, still 24, is eager to at least see out his contract on Tyneside.
The former Brescia and Milan star Tonali has been linked with both a move back to the San Siro and Juventus in the last few months. However, Tonali is understood to have given his word to club officials such as CEO Darren Eales that he is happy at St James' Park.
Eales said at the start of the season: "He is going to be genuinely like a new signing, because this is his chance to launch his Newcastle United career. It’s exciting for him.
"We know he’s a fantastic player. For me, you got a sense of what Sandro Tonali is as a player. I think he accepts that last year doesn’t almost count, that season, because of what happened."
Since then Tonali has 33 times for Newcastle, scoring three times and making two assists. With a long contract ahead of him and options for Newcastle to extend, the Magpies are in a strong position.
They can demand a huge fee for Tonali if they please and given the demise of Serie A, it is unlikely that neither his old club Milan or Juventus could afford to lure him back at the moment. Juve tried to talk to Newcastle about a swap deal for Douglas Luiz in January but this was dismissed out of hand by the Magpies.
Speaking on his own future recently Tonali said: "I have no regrets. The idea of returning to Milan one day is there, but it’s not the thought that comes when I wake up in the morning."