Newcastle United have placed a £100m valuation on midfielder Sandro Tonali as Arsenal and Chelsea show interest ahead of the summer transfer window. The Italian international, a key player since joining from AC Milan in 2023, is settled at the club and focused on their season. His agent has dismissed current speculation as premature.
Newcastle United are preparing for potential bids for Sandro Tonali in the summer, with the club setting a minimum asking price of £100m for the 25-year-old midfielder. Tonali, who joined from AC Milan for £55m in 2023, has become integral to Eddie Howe's squad, contributing to their Carabao Cup victory and Champions League qualification last season. Despite a 10-month ban for breaching FA betting rules at the end of 2023, Tonali has delivered impressive performances upon his return.
Interest in Tonali surfaced dramatically on the final day of the January transfer window, when Arsenal, leading the Premier League by six points, explored a late deal following Mikel Merino's foot injury. However, Newcastle swiftly dismissed any talks, and Tonali's agent, Giuseppe Riso, confirmed: 'We never had any conversation with Arsenal. Newcastle were never going to let Tonali leave in January. There’s absolutely nothing into it. We didn’t even talk about it.'
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly a 'huge admirer' of the Italy international and 'would love' to bring him to the Emirates Stadium. Chelsea have also emerged as suitors, alongside one other Premier League club. Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has praised Tonali highly, stating on Sky Bet’s The Overlap: 'I love Sandro Tonali as well. He’s been brilliant. Very good. I would probably choose Tonali at this point.' Scholes even rated him above Declan Rice as the league's best midfielder.
Tonali, contracted until 2029, is settled in the North East, having recently welcomed a son named Leonardo with his wife Juliette. He maintains a strong relationship with Howe, who supported him through his ban, and has no intention of forcing a move, unlike teammate Alexander Isak. Riso added: 'It’s not even being discussed now. We will see around March about Sandro’s valuation but only if Newcastle decide to open doors. He’s completely focused on Newcastle’s season now, it’s a nonsense topic.'
Newcastle, currently 11th in the Premier League, face challenges to return to the Champions League, with upcoming fixtures including a Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester City (after a 2-0 first-leg deficit) and a league match against Brentford.
