Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali will get a full summer to prepare for the new season.
Tonali was named in the Magpies’ starting XI for their final Premier League match of the season away to Fulham on Sunday but had to withdraw just moments before kick-off after feeling a muscle issue in the warm-up.
A week earlier, Tonali was forced off early in the second half against West Ham United with a hamstring complaint but Eddie Howe didn’t confirm whether that was related to his late withdrawal at Craven Cottage.
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Speaking after the game, Howe told The Gazette: “I don't know everything that happened. I think it was a shooting [drill], he felt a muscle, I'm not 100% sure which one.”
Sandro Tonali left out of Italy squad
Regardless of Tonali’s injury status, it seems the 26-year-old was always going to be left out of Italy’s squad, with interim boss Silvio Baldini deciding to basically call up an entirely new squad.
Italy parted company with Gennaro Gattuso in early April after failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. Baldini is Italy’s under-21s boss but will oversee senior friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece.
Rather than call up Italy’s usual crop of players, Baldini is relying on a younger squad, many of whom will be earning their first caps. For example, Gianluigi Donnarumma is the only player to be named in the squad from Azzurri’s World Cup play-off penalty shootout defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Welcome news for Newcastle United
Tonali’s omission will come as welcome news for Newcastle as it gives the midfielder extra time to recover from a relentless campaign that saw him play 53 out of 58 games.
Tonali continues to be linked with a potential move away from St James’ Park this summer with Arsenal and Manchester United reportedly interested, but Newcastle will only sell on their terms, which are likely to be excessive with the player effectively under contract until 2030.
The former Brescia man joined Newcastle from AC Milan for £55m and ended up signing a contract extension during his 10-month betting ban as a show loyalty.
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