SANDRO TONALI’S AGENT CONFIRMS SUMMER TRANSFER TALKS WILL DECIDE MIDFIELDER’S FUTURE
Sandro Tonali’s agent confirms the midfielder will weigh his Newcastle future this summer, with Arsenal and Juventus on high alert.
Sandro Tonali might be on his way out of Newcastle this summer because he wants Champions League football next season. Back in January, things got a little shaky for him. Rumours started flying that his agent offered him to Arsenal, and just recently, his camp finally spoke up about what’s next.
Word is, Tonali’s name landed on Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta’s desk during the last days of the January window. Arsenal didn’t make a move, but the idea of Tonali wanting out stirred up plenty of talk on Tyneside.
Eddie Howe had to face questions about Tonali’s future right before their Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City. It didn’t help when Tonali walked off the pitch at the Etihad looking frustrated after Newcastle lost 5-1 on aggregate.
According to The Athletic, Tonali’s people reached out to Berta to talk about a possible switch. It didn’t happen in January, but Tonali, who cost Newcastle £55 million when they signed him from AC Milan in 2023, is open to leaving in the summer. His agent, Giuseppe Riso, confirmed that. Arsenal are watching, but so are Manchester City, Juventus, and Chelsea.
“Newcastle don’t want to let Sandro go, and he wants to take them to the Champions League,” Riso told Tuttosport. “We’ll look at things in the summer and decide. The transfer talk will happen later. We need to see how the season finishes before we make a call.”
He continued, “There’s no favourite club right now. It’s too soon. What we say today could be different tomorrow. Newcastle couldn’t let him go in January, and there’s no point making a move now since Sandro really cares about the club.”
Alan Shearer has warned Newcastle that if they miss out on the Champions League, players like Tonali—who’s under contract until 2028—could leave. Right now, Newcastle have to get past Qarabag in a two-legged play-off just to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, but sitting 11th in the league, they’re nowhere near the qualifying spots.
Howe sounded confident when asked about Tonali. “As far as I know, we’ve got a brilliant footballer and a fantastic person. He’s happy here, gets along with everyone, and seems totally settled,” Howe said.
He added, “Honestly, I’d be surprised if he’s unsettled, but top players always get attention from other clubs. That’s just football.
“We want to keep this squad together and keep moving forward, and Sandro’s a big part of that. From our side, we never wanted to lose him. He’s crucial to what we’re building. He’s happy here.
“He’s absolutely fine. I spoke to him yesterday, and he’s focused on playing for us. His mind’s on the Man City game, nothing else. There’s no issue—he’s committed.”
WHY ANTHONY GORDON CLAIMS SUNDERLAND ARE "NOT A VERY GOOD TEAM"
Anthony Gordon calls Sunderland a "poor team" after Newcastle surrenders an early lead to lose 2-1 at St. James’ Park.
Anthony Gordon didn’t hold back after Sunderland’s 2-1 win over Newcastle in the Tyne-Wear derby, describing his team as “not a very good team” compared to their rivals. This defeat came just days after Newcastle suffered a crushing 7-2 loss in the Champions League against Barcelona.
Gordon opened the scoring by taking advantage of a Sunderland error from a goal-kick, giving Newcastle the early lead. But after halftime, Chemsdine Talbi equalised, and Brian Brobbey scored the winning goal in the 90th minute, sealing a derby double for Sunderland. This marked Newcastle’s second loss to Sunderland this season, following a 1-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light back in December.
Reflecting on the match, Gordon admitted that Newcastle struggled after the break. He told the club’s media outlet, “We were alright for the first 45 minutes, but that’s been a recurring issue this season. We knew we had to address it going into the game. We just didn’t start the second half well, and Sunderland were better after that.”
When asked about losing at home, Gordon was clear: “It probably hurts more because the other game was away. Both losses sting, but losing at home with that first-half performance is tough to swallow. We did well early on, and I thought Sunderland looked poor, but then we let them back in and handed them the win.”
What frustrated him most was his belief that Sunderland isn’t as good as Newcastle. “In my view, they’re not a very strong team compared to us, so we shouldn’t be losing to them. Playing away is always harder because of their fans and the atmosphere, but at home, especially after how we started, we should have held on. Starting the second half poorly has been a problem for us repeatedly.”
Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer also weighed in, calling the loss “worrying” for Eddie Howe’s side. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Shearer highlighted the stark contrast between the two halves and criticised the manager’s inability to motivate the team after halftime.
“Sunderland clearly wanted it more in the second half, which is damning considering Newcastle’s earlier strong performance at the Stadium of Light,” Shearer said. “Eddie got the tactics wrong, and that’s concerning and disappointing.”
He also acknowledged Sunderland’s performance, saying, “They were the better team and deserved the win, even if it’s painful to admit.”
Looking ahead, Shearer predicted a difficult period for Newcastle during the upcoming international break, with fans and media likely to be critical of the team and staff. “It’s going to be a tough couple of weeks. People will be frustrated and angry. Eddie and the club leadership will have to deal with the backlash and find a way to manage it.”
ALAN SHEARER SLAMS NEWCASTLE’S "LIMP" PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING 2-1 SUNDERLAND DEFEAT
Alan Shearer labels Newcastle "pathetic" as Brian Brobbey’s 90th-minute goal secures a 2-1 derby win for Sunderland.
Alan Shearer didn’t hold back when assessing Newcastle’s second-half performance against Sunderland, calling it “pathetic” and "weak". Newcastle went into the break leading 1-0 thanks to Anthony Gordon's goal in the 10th minute, and they looked the better side early on, with Sunderland offering little going forward.
But after the break, Sunderland came out like a different team, immediately taking control and pinning Newcastle back in their half. They earned a deserved equaliser in the 57th minute when Chemsdine Talbi converted from close range after Brian Brobbey’s initial shot was blocked. Sunderland kept the pressure up, and though Newcastle thought they’d taken the lead again when Malick Thiaw headed the ball past goalkeeper Melker Ellborg, the goal was ruled out by referee Anthony Taylor due to an offside by Jacob Murphy that interfered with the keeper.
In the end, Sunderland sealed a 2-1 win thanks to Brobbey’s goal in the 90th minute. His second shot after an initial save found the net, delivering the decisive blow.
Statistically, Sunderland’s win made sense; they racked up 2.45 expected goals (xG), compared to Newcastle’s 1.45, and had more shots, shots on target, and clear chances throughout the match.
From Newcastle’s perspective, the contrast between their first and second halves was glaring, and Shearer expressed his frustration plainly on social media. He described their second-half effort as lazy and limp, leaving little room for debate.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher highlighted Sunderland’s resilience after the break, reminding viewers that the last time Sunderland played at St James’ Park in the Premier League was a decade ago, and Newcastle has struggled against them. Carragher saw this as a huge moment for Sunderland’s young fans, especially considering their recent playoff rise and now their ability to claim a double victory over a major rival.
This win lifts Sunderland above Newcastle in the league table, moving them up to 11th and bringing them within three points of seventh-place Brentford, who hold a spot that could lead to European competition.
Looking ahead, Sunderland will face Tottenham on April 12, while Newcastle travels to Crystal Palace on the same day. Both teams have plenty to play for as the season progresses.
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