The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has played down concerns about Newcastle United losing Sandro Tonali in the near future, despite persistent rumours and a run of below-par performances.
Writing about Tonali’s situation in a recent mailbag, Waugh said there is little indication internally that Tonali is at risk of being sold soon, largely because of the financial and contractual barriers involved.
“I am not overly worried about losing Tonali in the short term, though I will caveat that by saying I often feel I am in a minority, even among my journalistic colleagues, on that front,” Waugh wrote. “I entirely understand the concerns fans have because, at his best, Tonali has shown world-class form and he was a critical reason why Newcastle won the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League last season.”
Interest from Italy has continued to surface, most notably involving Juventus, but Waugh stressed the economics make any deal highly improbable in January, and perhaps even next summer.
“But while Italian clubs, and most prominently Juventus, continue to be linked, the financial outlay required to pull off any deal makes it highly unlikely they could afford it,” Waugh wrote.
Tonali’s contract position is a major factor in any potential business involving the Italy international. The midfielder is tied to Newcastle United until 2029, with an option to extend further, and the club would demand a fee significantly higher than what they originally paid.
“That pretty much rules out most clubs in Europe being able to afford him, aside from Premier League sides and the very elite,” Waugh wrote. “As of yet, none have signalled they would be willing to make a move for Tonali — if they did, then I really would begin to worry.”
Waugh also noted Tonali’s previous gambling ban as a complicating factor for any buyer.
“Any club signing Tonali knows he has already served 10 months for betting offences and that would have to be taken into consideration before any sizeable outlay was committed,” Waugh wrote.
