Newcastle United's Italian midfielder #08 Sandro Tonali shoots but fails to score during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 31, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Newcastle United's Italian midfielder #08 Sandro Tonali shoots but fails to score during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 31, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Reports of Arsenal making an approach for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali are wide of the mark.
Newcastle United have not received an approach from Arsenal for Sandro Tonali.
The Premier League leaders are reportedly exploring a deadline day move for a midfielder after learning that Mikel Merino will be sidelined long-term with a foot injury.
The former Magpies midfielder is due to undergo surgery in the coming days and as a result will miss a large chunk of the Gunners’ title run-in.
Arsenal eye deadline day move for midfielder after injury to ex-Newcastle United man
A club statement read: “Further to sustaining a foot injury towards the end of our game against Manchester United on January 25, subsequent assessments and specialist reviews have confirmed Mikel Merino has a bone injury in his right foot.
“Mikel will have surgery in the coming days and will then begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme.
“Mikel is expected to be out of action for an extended period, with the aim of returning to full training before the end of the season.
“Everyone is fully focused on supporting Mikel to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.”
Newcastle United stance on Sandro Tonali amid Arsenal ‘approach’ claims
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has claimed Mikel Arteta’s side are exploring a surprise deadline day move for Tonali, with an initial approach rejected by Newcastle.
However, NewcastleWorld understands those reports are completely wide of the mark. No contact has been made and even if there were to be between now and tonight’s 7pm deadline, there’s no chance of Tonali leaving.
The Italian is not for sale and the length of his contract allows United to adopt a strong stance.
Newcastle fans feared at the beginning of the season that it wouldn’t be long before Tonali attracted genuine transfer interest amid the belief he was out of contract in 2028.
But it has since been confirmed that Tonali is effectively under contract 2030, an extension he signed during his 10-month betting ban as a show of commitment.
Sandro Tonali short of his best at Newcastle United
The Magpies signed Tonali from AC Milan for £55million in 2023 but had to wait until the following year to see the midfielder in top form after he was hit with a 10-month betting ban.
After initially using Tonali in the No.8 role, Howe moved him into the No.6 position and that coincided with a huge upturn in results, as United won nine straight matches between December 2024 and January 2025.
That was a catalyst in what followed last season as Newcastle ended their 70-year domestic trophy drought by lifting the Carabao Cup last March, as well as qualifying for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons.
A tireless performer with a rocket of a right foot - typified by his goal in the 2-1 win over Brentford last April - saw him regarded by many as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, if not Europe.
But in a campaign full of inconsistencies for Newcastle, Tonali has been one, with Howe recently agreeing that the Italian has been short of his best, at least on a consistent basis anyway.
Speaking to NewcastleWorld in January, Howe said: “Yeah, I think that's the key thing. I think the standards that he set last season, in particular, I thought he was absolutely magnificent, and him returning to the team gave us almost like a new signing, a new energy boost in there. He built really good relationships with the players around him and I think he was really, really effective in lots of different dimensions of the game.
“I think this season, for whatever reason, I don't think he's quite hit those levels that he did the season before. We're working with him to get him back to those levels.
“I think we've seen games where he's performed really well and even within games there's been moments and periods of the game where he's been absolutely at his best, but it's that consistency level for him as it is for the team that will be the thing we're focused on.”
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