Manchester United have been linked with a move for Newcastle and Italy star Sando Tonali as they look to strengthen their midfield this summer
Sandro Tonali of Italy celebrates
Newcastle and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali has been linked with Manchester United (Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
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Newcastle chief executive David Hopkinson has admitted the club will have to be open for business as Sandro Tonali continues to be linked with Manchester United. Several midfielders have been linked with a summer move to Old Trafford, with several players in that position expected to depart M16.
The Red Devils are set to lose Casemiro when his contract expires at the end of June, and with Manuel Ugarte facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford amid his struggles, reinforcements will be needed. Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba have been among the names linked alongside Tonali.
Colleagues at ChronicleLive have reported that Newcastle are calm regarding Tonali’s future at St James' Park. The 25-year-old has a contract that runs until 2029, with the option for another year.
But speaking as the club’s accounts for the last financial year were released, Hopkinson has referenced Alexander Isak's sale to Liverpool last summer as an example of how the Magpies could sell their best players for the right price.
He said: “We haven’t got an overall strategy with regards to [moving] players out. We think through what players might or might not want to do this summer.
"But if an Isak-like scenario presents itself again, any player under contract is going to leave on our terms and we’re going to maximise the opportunity that might represent for the club. That absolutely does (mean extracting the maximum price).
“For me, Isak was a good sale (in terms of getting a British record fee). I wasn’t here for the Isak situation, so I don’t want to comment on something I didn’t see first-hand. What I do know is that players that leave this club will need to do so on our terms.”