Sandro Tonali’s agent has stated that the Newcastle midfielder is targeting a move to Arsenal or Manchester City.
Giuseppe Riso has hinted that a move to a ‘top’ Premier League club was always the Italy international’s plan since his arrival on Tyneside from AC Milan in 2023.
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In a stunning interview with Italian media ahead of the summer, Riso expressed further doubts about Tonali’s future.
The comments also coincided with the 25-year-old’s absence from Newcastle’s 1-0 away win at Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.
Tonali had to miss the game due to illness, the same illness that has also affected Nick Woltemade and Anthony Gordon in recent weeks.
Toon boss Eddie Howe hopes to have him back for the crucial Champions League round of 16 against Barcelona on Wednesday.
And you can be sure the former Bournemouth manager will not be buoyed by Riso’s bombastic comments.
When Riso was asked about a possible move from Newcastle to a defending champion like Arsenal or Manchester City, he said: “Exactly, that was the aim from the moment he went to England: to try to make him a star player.”
“I think he is the Italian player with one of the highest values in the world.”
He was then asked if an impressive performance at the World Cup this summer would be beneficial for Tonali, to which he replied: “I don’t know, but it’s very likely.”
“Everyone is waiting for the World Cup, then a thousand scenarios will play out, but everything starts after the World Cup.”
What else did Riso say?
Riso discussed how Tonali’s move to Newcastle came about before his betting ban.
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The Magpies snapped up the versatile midfielder from Italian giants Milan for around £52million.
He made over 100 appearances for the club and played a big role in the Toon ending their wait for a domestic trophy with victory in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool last year.
But when speaking about the move to St James’ Park, Riso noted: “The deal came about because a club like Newcastle, with virtually unlimited financial resources, decided to invest in Sandro.”
“We thought about the idea of giving the player the chance to play in a higher league.
“Did we know about the bets? No, absolutely not – also because otherwise we would have intervened.”
“I have to say that from this perspective the transfer ultimately proved to be a successful move because both Newcastle and its fans have treated Sandro incredibly well and have always supported him.”
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“In Italy he was treated differently. Not by the Milan fans who always protected him.”
Tonali’s future
The Pitch Prospect understands Tonali will be at the center of a transfer saga, with Arsenal, Man City, Manchester United and clubs in Italy monitoring the situation.
Newcastle do not need to sell Tonali as his contract expires in 2029 and there is an option for a further year.
The Toon value the Italy international at around £80m-£100m but would prefer to keep him at the club.
Tonali is a key player for Howe, having scored three goals and seven assists in 46 games in all competitions this season.