- Newcastle United look for Sandro Tonali replacement
- Out of contract Brighton star could be ‘steal’
- Sweden international just outperformed Alexander Isak
Newcastle United may soon be needing a replacement for Sandro Tonali at St James’ Park, and a Sweden star who has just outperformed Alexander Isak at the World Cup could do the job.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has reported of serious Tottenham Hotspur interest in the Italy international overnight, with Tonali viewed as a top target for Spurs.
With the player not involved at the World Cup, there is a feeling that a move could be sanctioned quickly, so long as Tottenham are able to come close to the £100 million asking price set on Tyneside.
Tonali racked up over 4,000 minutes across 53 appearances under Eddie Howe last season and would certainly need replacing prior to the 2026/27 campaign.
Newcastle United must find suitable Sandro Tonali replacement
Newcastle learnt the cost of failing to replace key first team stars the hard way 12 months ago with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa failing to fill the void left by Isak’s move to Liverpool.
It is perhaps an international teammate of Isak who the Magpies should be watching at the World Cup in Yasin Ayari.
The 22-year-old scored twice from midfield as Graham Potter’s side romped to a 5-1 win over Tunisia this week and earned huge plaudits for his efforts.
Swedish TV outlet SVT Nyheter named the Brighton man as Player of the Match with a perfect 5/5 score for his efforts. The outlet wrote: “Started the match very strongly and offered incredible shots to both 1-0 and 5-1. Was proactive and floated forward. Hit the free kick that led to 4-1.”
Isak and Arsenal star Viktor Gyokeres, who both scored in that match, were handed four-star ratings as Ayari outranked those big money strikers.
Speaking after the match, teammate Jesper Karlström said: “Those are two unreal goals! He is fantastic and these goals were something out of the ordinary.”
Yasin Ayari Premier League stats 2025/26:
| Appearances | 29 |
| Minutes | 1,925 |
| Goals | 3 |
| Assists | 3 |
Yasin Ayari in final 12 months of Brighton contract
A defensive midfielder with the ability to dictate play going forward, Ayari certainly has all the qualities needed to step into the role set to be left vacant by Tonali.
The Seagulls star would also arrive with 66 appearances of Premier League experience and there would be no need to worry about him adjusting to the top flight.
Brighton will obviously be reluctant to sell. This is a player who played 32 times under Fabian Hurzeler last term.
However, Ayari is entering the final 12 months of his contract, which places the south coast club in a precarious position. Brighton must either work on an extension, or risk losing the huge talent as a free agent in 2027.
Brighton rejected a £20 million offer from Nottingham Forest for Ayari in January. The Seagulls paid just £3.5 million to sign the player from AIK Stockholm in 2023, in a trademark shrewd move from the club.
With fees of £100 million being readily bandied about this summer for midfielders such as Tonali and Forest star Elliot Anderson, Ayari’s contract situation could make him a real steal – and he’s clearly got the swagger to perform on the biggest stage.
In other news, Fabrizio Romano issues fresh Sandro Tonali update after Newcastle United ‘exclusive’.
