Exclusive Student Offer

Prime for Young Adults

Get a 6-month trial with premium college perks & fast delivery.

Start Free Trial
Listen Anywhere

Audible Standard Trial

Get 30 days of audiobooks free. Cancel anytime, keep your books.

Claim Free Books

The English fear another Isak case, at Continassa they are studying the strategy to hand him the keys to the midfield

Giovanni Albanese and Davide Chinellato

February 5 – 10.27am – MILAN

That Sandro Tonali is the first name on the Juventus list for next summer is no secret. The secrets – if anything – are to be found in those cryptic half-phrases of his agent at the end of the January transfer window and in some small actions recorded at Newcastle in the last few days, which gave strength to the Continassa men without them having done anything. The midfielder is Juve’s first target for the summer, no longer just a dream: even if a significant investment would be needed to bring him back to Italy. But watch out for what happens in England: Newcastle risk being left out of the Champions League, at which point they would need to sell a star to stay within the parameters of financial fair play.

Juventus here

Elkann wants a winning Juve and has asked Comolli to also dust off the club’s traditions, including greater Italian representation on the pitch. Juve at the moment has little to show off and with Tonali they would add a nice piece, securing one of the best midfielders around in Europe. Of course, a significant financial outlay would be needed, but for the men of Continassa in the summer it might no longer be a problem: Juve is setting up the strengthening campaign on zero parameters and intends to give continuity to Spalletti’s work on some young players on the launching pad, consequently there would be space to make just one effective shot. Especially in the face of some sales: Openda is now at the top of the list of new expendables, but there are others to be evaluated with the ball still in place. The work of the new coach – who appreciated Tonali during his time with the national team – has put several players back on track who seemed out of the game, consequently the club (with the next Champions League) would have room to complete a 40-50 million operation. Even the weight of the salary would not be a problem: Tonali earns 5 million net at Newcastle plus a bonus, we are in line with what David receives and what Yildiz will get with his new contract. “Tonali to Juve? It’s not the time to talk about it” said his agent Beppe Riso (to Sky Sport) on the last day of the January transfer window, denying the player’s links to all other destinations.

Newcastle here

The spotlight on Tonali’s future was turned on on Monday morning, when a Newcastle newspaper reported the rumor that Arsenal were ready to make a move for the Italian midfielder in the final hours of the transfer window. The flat denials from Newcastle, Arsenal and the player’s entourage (according to a version of the story published by The Athletic, it was the midfielder’s agent who offered him to Arsenal, a hypothesis denied by Riso himself) did not serve to turn off the spotlight, so much so that Eddie Howe returned to the topic in yesterday’s press conference, on the eve of the Carabao Cup semi-final. “I don’t think that these rumors are part of a secret agenda to take Sandro away from Newcastle – said Howe – It would surprise me, but there are many things that happen here without me knowing. Sandro is very happy here, he has a great relationship with me and his teammates and he seems happy with his situation. I spoke to him on Monday, he is focused on being here and playing for us, but the reality of football is that our best players will always attract the attention of other clubs.” And here the problems begin, because Tonali is with Bruno Guimarães, one of the pearls of the Magpies and how much attention from other clubs they will attract depends a lot on how this season ends. If Newcastle were to return to the Champions League, locking up the stars will be imperative. Otherwise, scenarios would open up where even the sale of Tonali is possible, even if his contract expires in 2029. The biggest fear in Newcastle is that with the Italian midfielder the soap opera experienced in the summer with Alexander Isak could be repeated, who forced his hand by remaining separated at home for the whole summer and then ending up at Liverpool for 144 million euros. Tonali still feels the moral debt of his closeness to the Magpies during the dark months of the betting disqualification: it’s difficult to think of him tearing up, easier to see him reevaluating his future if Newcastle don’t play the Champions League next year.



ttn-14

Get Audible 30-Day Free Trial

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.