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.”
EDDIE HOWE REJECTS ENGLAND LINKS AND PLEDGES LOYALTY TO NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe has rejected rumours linking him to the England job, insisting he is devoted to Newcastle’s long-term Premier League goals.
Eddie Howe isn’t backing down from the Newcastle United job, despite all the noise about his future. He’s heard the talk—some fans online think he’s hit the ceiling with this team, and the media keeps pushing the idea that he’s a favourite for the England job if Thomas Tuchel steps aside after the World Cup. But Howe’s staying focused on the job at hand.
CEO David Hopkinson has his back, too. Hopkinson shot down the England rumours and called Howe “devoted” to Newcastle. He’s even set his sights high, saying the club wants to win the Premier League by 2030. When someone brought that up, Howe didn’t bite. “Timelines and estimations are really hard for me as a manager,” he told Chronicle Live. “Honestly, I don’t know what next week brings, never mind four years from now. I just try to make the players better every day. Each transfer window, you hope to strengthen the squad, but beyond that, you see where it takes you. Setting deadlines doesn’t feel right to me.”
Asked about where he sees himself and the club after five years in charge and two years left on his contract, Howe just shrugged. “Who knows? I don’t know how long I’ll be here. I focus on giving my best every day until someone tells me otherwise.”
When reporters pushed him about the England job and whether he’s thinking of stepping down, Howe just shook his head. “That’s news to me. Every day, I give everything for this club, the players, and the staff. I want to inspire the team, help us win, and move the club forward. That’s all that matters—my own future isn’t really the point.”
Howe’s also aware of the fans who aren’t happy with him right now, even if he avoids social media. “Honestly, I’m glad I’m not online if it’s heated. But I think you can see we’re fighting out there. The players give me everything, game after game. Wednesday was tough—we wanted to make the final, and everyone was fired up for it. But conceding early made it hard. Still, credit to the lads for pushing in the second half and trying to get back in it.”
He didn’t sugarcoat the challenge ahead. “Now we go again, no rest. I can promise you, the players are maxed out—physically, mentally. We see how hard they work, and it’s the same for the staff. We all want success. The path isn’t straight; there are bumps, and this season’s been tough in lots of ways. But we’re giving everything we have to get the results we all want.”
MAPPING THE FUTURE: EXPLORE THE GLOBAL BLUEPRINT FOR NEWCASTLE’S 68,000-SEAT EXPANSION PLAN
CEO David Hopkinson reveals Newcastle is modelling a 68,000-seat expansion to keep the club in its "magical" city-centre home.
Newcastle United’s CEO, David Hopkinson, has finally addressed the big question hanging over St. James’ Park—what’s next for the club’s famous home, and just how many more fans could squeeze in if they decide to renovate?
Ever since the club’s takeover back in October 2021, getting tickets for a match has turned into a bit of a scramble. The demand’s gone through the roof. With that, everyone’s been talking about what the future holds for St. James’ Park. The ground has been Newcastle’s home for over a hundred years, but football’s changed. These days, clubs need to bring in more cash just to keep up. That’s why the idea of building a brand-new stadium has been floating around, and the club has looked into what that might mean.
Even so, it’s been four years since the takeover, and the club still hasn’t said for sure whether they’ll build a new place or just make the current one bigger. But now, Hopkinson’s given the clearest hint yet that expanding St. James’ Park is probably the direction they’re heading.
On Wednesday morning, just before Newcastle faced Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-final, Hopkinson went on Talk Sport and got straight to the point: “The truth is we haven’t decided.
“St. James’ Park is a magical place. Saturday’s going to be special when we play our next Premier League match here.
“We’re at 53,000 right now, but we think we can go bigger. That means more revenue, and it’s a big investment. We haven’t made a final call yet, but we’re working on it every day. Whether that’s a renovation or a new stadium—we’re looking at all the options. There’s a real opportunity here, and we’re chasing it.”
Pressed for specifics, Hopkinson revealed just how much they could expand the current ground: “At least 10,000,” he said.
“All our latest models put the new capacity in the 65,000 to 68,000 range. I don’t think going bigger than that makes sense, but if we do something, it needs to be meaningful. So, an extra 10-15,000 seats feels right.
“We are thinking about a new stadium, but honestly, we’re not really pushing hard on that. We don’t want to end up stuck out in a field miles from anywhere. What makes Newcastle so special is St. James’ Park, right in the heart of the city. That’s important.
“Everywhere I’ve worked, I’ve been lucky to work in arenas and stadiums right in the centre. It means something. You see it with the new Bernabeu in Madrid, or Madison Square Garden in Manhattan—location really matters.”
He finished with this: “We could do nothing, sure. But I don’t think that’s the smartest move. We’ve got the backing from the owners to figure out the best way forward. We just haven’t landed on that answer yet.”Madrid or