Sandro Tonali’s Newcastle United exit continues to inch closer. And now, it looks like the Italian midfielder has taken a significant step forward in ensuring that he is not playing his football at St James’ Park next season. If the club want to keep him, it makes the task even more difficult for them.
Tonali is an elite talent. So, parting ways with him would weaken Newcastle United. Can they afford that after what was a poor campaign by their standards?
The answer is ‘no’. But they might not have a choice, as it looks like Tonali has already set his mind on a move away from St James’ Park this summer. Curiously, the lack of European football does not seem to be a dealbreaker for him, considering the deal he has agreed.
According to a report from The Standard, Tottenham Hotspur have struck an agreement with Tonali on personal terms. Reports in Italy claim that the midfielder will sign a six-year deal to become the club’s highest-paid player.
Sandro Tonali agrees personal terms with Tottenham
So, Champions League football does not seem to be the driving factor behind this. After all, Tottenham Hotspur are coming off an even worse season and finished 17th in the Premier League, only avoiding relegation on the final day of the campaign.
Obviously, Tonali is a professional footballer. So, he is going to be making decisions that he believes are best for him. That is just natural and completely understandable.
That being said, Newcastle fans would have expected him to aim higher, even if he chose to leave the club. Now, it remains to be seen if a move to Tottenham materialises or not.
Tottenham Hotspur might have agreed on personal terms with Tonali but they clearly have not found an agreement with Newcastle United yet. It is believed that a couple of offers have been turned down already.
Who could replace Tonali at Newcastle United?
Tonali’s move to Tottenham is not complete. But from everything that has come out in the media over the past few days, it would be a surprise if he is a Newcastle United player next season.
The Magpies are being linked with quite a few midfielders as well. This morning, there has been plenty of talk about interest in Felix Nmecha of Borussia Dortmund.
He does have a €85 million release clause. If Borussia Dortmund are not willing to accept an offer significantly lower than that, a move might not be feasible for Newcastle United.
Lamine Camara of AS Monaco is another player they have been linked with lately. And one would expect a few other names to crop up as the Tonali exit gets closer.
