Sandro Tonali has been linked with a transfer less than 24 hours after pulling out of the team during the warm-up in the 2-0 loss to Fulham
Sandro Tonali carries the ball
Sandro Tonali has been linked with a move to Arsenal(Image: Getty Images)
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Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali has not held any talks with Arsenal about a summer move to the Emirates Stadium.
Reports in his home country have suggested that the Gunners engaged in discussions about a Toon exit, but Chronicle Live has been told by sources in the capital that this isn't the case. Arsenal have always admired Tonali, but a midfielder is not thought to be a priority for the newly crowned Premier League champions.
On Tyneside, Newcastle sources have shrugged off any talk of any type of summer fire sale and insist that nobody will be leaving St James' Park unless it is on their terms. That was certainly the case with Alexander Isak last summer when it took £125m deal to take him to Liverpool and as Bayern Munich or finding out, there is a set valuation for Anthony Gordon.
Frustratingly for Newcastle, their failure to qualify for Europe, plus a public admission that SCR could force them to sell some stars, has been the perfect storm for agents and intermediaries, and that is where the Tonali to Arsenal talk appears to have emerged from before making it on to the pages of Tuttosport.
CEO David Hopkinson said back in March to reporters: "If an Isak-like scenario presents itself again, any player under contract is going to leave on our terms.
"We're going to maximise the opportunity that might represent for the club."
So the truth is that IF Newcastle did get an astronomical offer for Tonali, he could leave this summer, only that has not arrived and eyes at United have rolled on the reports from Italy less than 24 hours after final whistle at Fulham.
Tonali has also been linked with Man City and Man United and earlier this year, head coach Eddie Howe played down talk of an exit for the Italian star when he said: "I don’t think so. That would surprise me. But lots of things happen without my knowledge. As far as I’m aware though we’ve got a player that’s an outstanding footballer, an outstanding person.
“Sandro’s very happy here. He’s got a great relationship with me and his teammates and he seems really, really, happy within himself. I don’t see an issue, but I’m not in control of everything. If I knew where everything [rumours] came from I’d be wiser. But Sandro is absolutely fine. I had discussions with him yesterday. His focus is on the here and now with us."
Newcastle have already made moves to include Tonali as part of next season's leadership group and he was named a skipper for the 2-1 defeat against AFC Bournemouth recently. But Tonali has never shut down talk of an exit from Newcastle completely and his agent never seems to take a break from scanning for new opportunities.
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