Sandro Tonali’s agent’s recent comments are an effort to ‘play down’ rumours regarding a Newcastle United exit.
That’s according to Calciomercato, who cover the Newcastle star today. The website explains what’s going on with the Italian behind the scenes.
According to their information, Tonali wants to return to Italy. He dreams of a return at the end of this season in which he could also be a key player for Italy.
The plan has been mapped out, lead Italy to the World Cup, lead Newcastle into Europe and then return to Italy. Tonali wants 2026 to one in which he is a ‘fully-fledged protagonist’.
But his agent, Giuseppe Rios, has ‘never been more careful’ to play down rumours. Although he’s confirmed Tonali is open to a move away from St James Park, he’s refusing to fuel them outright.
The reality, though, is that the 25-year-old wants to return to Italy. Newcastle will hold discussions with him this summer. Riso has already admitted publicly that the Magpies are “having a hard tie letting him go”.
He remains a key player for Eddie Howe’s side, and they’ll need a ‘satisfactory financial offer’ before considering an exit. Reports in the UK have put the price at €80m. It would be higher for Premier League sides like Arsenal.
One factor to consider, though, is Newcastle’s league finish. A failure to qualify for Europe could be something Tonali uses to ‘force their hand’ with a lower asking price.
Tonali has also already made a personal choice of which club he wants next. He wants a team at the top of Serie A, maybe even AC Milan. They’ve shown no interest as yet, though, and negotiations with Newcastle would be difficult. Juventus are the ones who’ve shown the most interest and tried to take him last summer. There was also a small effort in January.
Napoli also have an eye on him and there’s also Arsenal to consider. If he were to return to Italy, Tonali would need to take a ‘significant reduction in his salary. Juventus, for example, have a cap of €6m per year. That’s €1-2m less than Tonali earns at Newcastle.
It’s a move that will require plenty of effort. But Tonali has indicated what he wants, and that starts with starring in 2026 first. In the meantime, it appears his agent will play things down and work in the background.