Newcastle confirm signing of Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali from Milan
Newcastle have signed the Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali for an undisclosed fee on an initial five-year contract.
The 23-year-old arrives at St James’ Park from Milan having represented his country 14 times at senior level and captained the side at the European Under-21 Championship finals this summer.
Tonali said: “First of all, I want to thank Newcastle United because they are giving me a huge opportunity for my career. I want to repay the trust on the pitch, giving it my all, as I always have. I’m really excited about playing at St James’ Park, I can’t wait to feel the warmth of the fans.”
The Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has signalled his intention to recruit quality rather than quantity this summer while remaining within the bounds of the spending limits under which a club which had invested more than £250m in the first three transfer windows under its new Saudi-backed owners must operate.
He has acknowledged the difficulty of competing on the domestic and European fronts next season and knows a repetition of a remarkable league campaign will be made all the tougher by the demands of rubbing shoulders with the continent’s big boys once again.
However, landing a player of
Tonali’s stature is an indication of the direction Newcastle hope to take and the 45-year-old was delighted to have got his man.
Howe said: “I’m delighted to welcome Sandro to Newcastle United.
He is an exceptional talent and has the mentality, physicality and technical attributes to be a great fit for us. At 23, Sandro already has important experience as a key player in one of Europe’s top leagues and in the Champions
League, as well as playing for his country.
“But he also has the opportunity and potential to grow and evolve with us, and I’m excited to add him to our squad as we approach the exciting season ahead.”
Tonali began his career at Brescia, where he helped the club win promotion to Serie A, and moved to Milan during the summer of 2020, initially on a season-long loan deal. He leaves with 130 appearances to his name in the Italian top flight and having played in all 12 of the Rossoneri’s Champions League fixtures last season as they made it to the semi-finals, where they were beaten by arch-rivals Inter.
Tonali’s departure has angered some Milan fans amid claims he has “downgraded” by leaving the club. However, in an Instagram message to supporters, he said: “I understand that this farewell can arouse mixed emotions and it’s normal that there are when you leave a big piece of your heart, but it’s important to remember that in football, as in life, changes are sometimes a reason for growth for everyone.”