Newcastle United are set to complete the signing of AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali in a deal that could be worth up to €70m, as Eddie Howe closes in on his first signing of the summer transfer window.
The Magpies are reportedly in the final stages of negotiations over a fee with AC Milan, with a deal close to being agreed. They made a bid worth €50m earlier this week but negotiations have progressed after face-to-face talks today, and it looks like the Toon Army are now set to pay around €70m to secure the Milan star’s signature.
Sandro Tonali, 23, emerged as a key target for Newcastle United early in the window, with Eddie Howe keen on signing two midfielders after the club secured Champions League football next season. The Italy Under-21 international enjoyed a strong 2022-23 season, scoring two goals and providing ten assists in all competitions as Milan finished fourth and reached the Champions League semi-final, where they were beaten by traditional rivals Inter.
Sandro Tonali—a top target for Eddie Howe
Newcastle United were believed to have made a bid for Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella, while being strongly linked with Leicester City playmaker James Maddison. However, it appears that Sandro Tonali has been identified as Eddie Howe’s top target and he will become the marquee addition to Newcastle’s midfield unit.
The Toon Army are unlikely to stop spending if they do manage to secure the signing of Tonali, who has made 130 appearances for Milan since joining from Brescia in 2021. The 23-year-old is a talented midfielder, with the ability to glide past or hold off opponents from deep one of his greatest strengths. He is a top passer of the ball and an expert from set-pieces.
Tonali has chiefly operated as a holding midfielder/deep-lying playmaker at Milan, but can also play as a box-to-box midfielder. The Italian would be a terrific addition to Newcastle’s midfield and could potentially allow Bruno Guimaraes to operate further up the pitch. The ex-Brescia man is clearly an upgrade on Sean Longstaff with his better defensive awareness, passing ability and vision.
All in all, the signing of Tonali would see Newcastle make a statement ahead of their return to the Champions League.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
