Sandro Tonali: How Newcastle maestro is silencing transfer talk with priceless heroics

Suraj Radia

Updated: 27 Apr 2025 15:48 BST
5 min read

Sandro Tonali, Newcastle, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Much has been made of Alexander Isak’s reported €150 million pricetag but Newcastle may have another player on their books who could join their star striker in being given a record-breaking valuation.

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The Magpies have been on an incredible run of 20 wins in their last 26 games across all competitions, which has seen a rise up the table to third place while also ending a run of 70 years without a domestic trophy.

While Newcastle’s rise has plenty to do with Isak and his sidekick in Jacob Murphy, perhaps the biggest unsung hero of them all has been Sandro Tonali who has become indispensable to Eddie Howe since his return from a ten-month ban at the end of August.

Current ETV

Sandro Tonali

M (C)

Newcastle Utd.

Sandro Tonali

M (C)

Newcastle Utd.

ETV Range

€46.9M - €57.3M

Indeed, while Isak is Newcastle’s Batman and Murphy proving to be his Robin, Tonali has assumed the role of the Alfred the butler in the club’s superhero story – selflessly doing the dirty work to support his teammates and being integral to their success while rarely stealing the headlines.

Yet, despite Tonali playing some of the best football of his career and vocally professing his loyalty to Newcastle, reports from his native Italy linking the 24-year-old with a return continue to persist, citing the midfielder’s apparent ‘unhappiness’.

Even more bizarrely, Newcastle are continuously described as being open to his sale for €60 million – virtually the same fee they paid in 2023 – but it has become clear that it would take potentially double that amount to prise Tonali away from his new home.

READ MORE: Latest Newcastle transfer rumours

Tonali and Newcastle – a bond built through turmoil proving impossible to break

Tonali choosing to leave his boyhood club Milan to join Newcastle was considered a shock at the time, even with the Magpies paying a record fee for an Italian player.

Moving from his settled sub-tropical Milanese climate to the quaint-yet-grey environment of Newcastle proved to be a culture shock for Tonali, particularly when he was hit with a shock gambling ban less than nine games into his debut season for his new side.

Even prior to his suspension, Tonali himself admitted he found it difficult to settle but his ban, combined with the simple fact that no Serie A side could match the Premier League riches he signed for, made returning home a non-starter.

Consequently, Tonali spent his ten-month absence with his head down, speaking with psychologists and local gambling support groups, while also closely working with Howe on the training ground to ensure his game didn’t suffer.

Yet, even upon his return towards the start of this season, Tonali still lacked a certain rhythm with his teammates, while Howe struggled to cultivate a strong partnership between the Italian and captain Bruno Guimaraes in midfield despite a growing friendship off the field.

© IMAGO - Sandro Tonali initially struggled in his first months at Newcastle.

Tonali started in just six of his first 13 Premier League games of the season as Newcastle’s form proved inconsistent, however in December, some tactical tweaks by Howe suddenly sprung his side into life, with Tonali at the heart of the resurgence.

Having played largely as a box-to-box midfielder, Tonali was moved to the base of the midfield as a '6', constantly interchanging with Guimaraes to give energy in the middle of the park during all phases of play.

Since a 4-2 loss to Brentford on December 7th, Tonali has started all but one of Newcastle’s 19 league matches, playing the full 90 minutes in 17 of them and often covering the most ground of any player on the pitch.

STATS

Sandro Tonali

M (C)

Newcastle Utd.

Sandro Tonali

M (C)

Newcastle Utd.

49

Games
7

Goals
4

Assists

In truth, stats do not do Tonali justice – his game is suited to the ‘eye test’, such as during the Carabao Cup final over Liverpool where he sprinted the length of the pitch to win a challenge in stoppage time to seal Newcastle’s victory.

Tonali’s has constantly stressed his gratitude to staff and teammates, as well as the fans, for their support during his darkest days and his loyalty to the city off the pitch has been embodied by his resilience and determination on it.

With three years remaining on his contract, Newcastle is Tonali’s home and it would take more than rumours of discontent and lowball bids to turn his head after a zero-to-hero arc that may have only just begun.

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