Chelsea and Liverpool beware! Tonali transfer will elevate Newcastle past Premier League rivals

Suraj Radia

• 3 Jul 2023 12:06 BST
• 3 min read

Newcastle have confirmed the signing of Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali in a transfer that could elevate them past their Premier League rivals and cement their status as one of England’s elite clubs.

The Magpies are looking to build on a successful season which saw them reach a domestic cup final and qualify for next year’s Champions League, with a deal for Tonali expected to cost around €70 million – equalling the club record outlay set by the signing of Alexander Isak last summer.

The signing, like the Isak deal, has seemingly come out of nowhere, with Tonali never being linked with a move before and rival teams somewhat blindsided by the news of his availability.

DETAILS: Newcastle close to Tonali capture

Names such as Scott McTominay, James Ward-Prowse and Conor Gallagher were considered as Newcastle’s targets this summer and eyebrows were raised last month when they were credited with an approach for Inter star Nicolo Barella.

While Barella’s price proved too expensive, the report was perhaps a warning sign that Newcastle were not going to play nicely this transfer window and would blow their rivals away by pursuing some of Europe’s most talented stars, all while other teams search for value in the market.

With the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool also targeting midfielders to lead them back to the Champions League, the Premier League juggernauts may find their pathway blocked by the ambition and resources of Newcastle as they look to prove that they weren’t just a one-season wonder under Eddie Howe.

Newcastle set to stun Milan and rivals with shrewd signing

Despite being the wealthiest club in world football, Newcastle have largely operated within their means since the takeover from Saudi Arabia’s investment fund in 2021, with the club still meeting Financial Fair Play restrictions even with an outlay of more than €250m across three transfer windows.

Newcastle appear to be quietly working towards their ideal signings, refusing to pay over their valuation and targeting players who they could take the team to the next level while also not breaking the wage structure in place, which sees top earners such as Bruno Guimaraes earning £150,000-a-week.

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For Milan, the transfer comes as a shock – Tonali is a boyhood Milanista and there was a belief the Italian would spend the rest of his career at the club, however the tension with the team’s owners, which saw legend Paolo Maldini recently leave the club, has ultimately changed the situation.

A fee of €70m is an expensive outlay for Newcastle and is a record for an Italian midfielder but it speaks to Tonali’s ability that the deal still feels like a poor one for Milan, given the money circulating around the market in recent years.

However, Newcastle will potentially be securing a long-term talisman in midfield by bringing in an elite talent under the noses of their rivals, similar to the transfers of Guimaraes and Isak and establishing the pedigree that could leave the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea in the dust from the rear-view mirror.