- Newcastle United should sell Sandro Tonali
- Midfielder has several suitors
- Eddie Howe can’t afford another transfer saga
Newcastle United produced one of their best performances of 2026 as they secured a 3-1 win against West Ham United at St James’ Park.
And Sandro Tonali was in the thick of the action for Eddie Howe’s side as he kept things ticking in the middle of the park.
The Italian has been a mainstay for Newcastle United since joining from AC Milan, but has other suitors in Europe.
And if some of Europe’s biggest clubs come calling in the summer, the Magpies are better off biting the bullet rather than allowing another drawn-out transfer saga to play out.
Newcastle United must sell Sandro Tonali
In terms of his performances, Tonali hasn’t done much wrong since signing for the club. His partnership with Bruno Guimaraes in the centre of the park has made Newcastle United a force to be reckoned with domestically as well as in Europe.
If you look across the board, not too many other teams in the Premier League have a midfield as well-rounded and energetic as the one Eddie Howe has at his disposal currently.
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Newcastle even supported Tonali when he suffered a betting ban for 10-months during the 2023-24 campaign, after which he returned strongly to spearhead them to UEFA Champions League football.
However, with other clubs interested in signing him this summer and his agent sounding out suitors, Newcastle are faced with an important question this summer: Can they afford to keep another player who has his heart set on a move elsewhere?
Barcelona and Arsenal have been linked with moves for Tonali, while an emotional return to AC Milan has always been talked up.
Last summer, Newcastle were desperate to keep Alexander Isak at the club and the situation turned messy, to say the least.
He was banished from the first-team squad and the line of communication between him and Howe was broken. The Magpies looked like they would stand their ground, but towards the end of the transfer window, Isak finally got his wish as he secured a Premier League record move to Liverpool.
Newcastle responded by signing Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa and it’s safe to say their attacking recruitment has been a mixed bag at the very least.
William Osula was linked with a departure from Newcastle last summer, but the deal fell through.
Now, in hindsight, the Osula move looks like a blessing in disguise. But at the time, it looked like Newcastle panicked and reacted accordingly in the transfer market, which is never a good sign for a club.
Similarly, with Tonali, if he wants to leave the club, Newcastle shouldn’t stand in his way as long as their price tag is met.
Who can replace Sandro Tonali at Newcastle United?
Tonali is valued at around £100m, so he could well be priced out of a transfer this summer.
However, if a move eventually comes to fruition, Newcastle United won’t be short of options.
Lamine Camara has been linked with a move to Tyneside, with the young midfielder delivering a string of outstanding displays for AS Monaco in Ligue 1.
Earlier this month, we revealed exclusively on Read Newcastle that talks of Elliot Anderson returning are premature, at least at this stage, although the Englishman is expected to be on the move this summer.
Khephren Thuram has also been linked with a move to Newcastle, so it’s not to say Howe and the hierarchy won’t have any options.
Granted, Tonali is a fantastic player and the club are in a good position as he has a contract until 2029. However, if he agitates for a move, it’s better for all parties involved to shake hands and part ways rather than allow another transfer saga to grab all the headlines.
