The English side fears another Isak situation; at Continassa, they’re devising a strategy to hand him the keys to the midfield

It’s no secret that Sandro Tonali is at the top of Juventus’s wish list for next summer. The secrets—if any—lie in those cryptic half-phrases from his agent at the end of the January transfer window and in a few small moves by Newcastle in recent days, which have bolstered the Continassa camp’s confidence without them having to do anything. The midfielder is Juve’s top target for the summer—no longer just a dream—even if bringing him back to Italy would require a significant investment. Keep an eye, however, on what’s happening in England: Newcastle risks missing out on the Champions League, at which point it would need to sell a star player to stay within financial fair play parameters.

Elkann wants a winning Juventus and has asked Comolli to revive the club’s traditions, including greater representation of Italian players on the field. Juventus currently has little to show for itself, and with Tonali, it would add a valuable piece, securing one of the best midfielders currently available in Europe. Of course, it would require a significant financial outlay, but for the Continassa squad, that might no longer be an issue this summer: Juventus is basing its transfer strategy on free agents and intends to build on Spalletti’s work with some young players on the rise; consequently, there would be room to make a single high-profile signing. Especially if some players are sold: Openda is now at the top of the list of players who could be let go, but there are others to evaluate once the dust settles. The new coach—who was impressed by Tonali during his time with the national team—has brought several players back into the fold who previously seemed out of the picture; consequently, the club (with the upcoming Champions League campaign) would have the financial leeway to pull off a 40–50 million deal. Even the salary wouldn’t be an issue: Tonali earns 5 million net plus 1 million in bonuses at Newcastle, which is in line with what David makes and what Yildiz will earn under his new contract. “Tonali to Juve? It’s not the right time to talk about it,” said his agent, Beppe Riso (speaking to Sky Sport), on the last day of the January transfer window, denying rumors linking the player to any other destinations.

here newcastle—  The spotlight on Tonali’s future turned on Monday morning, when a Newcastle newspaper reported a rumor that Arsenal was ready to make a move for the Italian midfielder in the final hours of the transfer window. The flat denials from Newcastle, Arsenal, and the player’s entourage (according to one version of the story published by The Athletic, it was the midfielder’s agent who offered him to Arsenal—a claim denied by Riso himself) did little to dim the spotlight, so much so that Eddie Howe addressed the issue again at yesterday’s press conference, on the eve of the Carabao Cup semifinal. “I don’t think these rumors are part of a secret agenda to take Sandro away from Newcastle,” Howe said. “It would surprise me, but there are many things happening here that I’m not aware of. Sandro is very happy here; he has an excellent relationship with me and his teammates, and he seems content with his situation. I spoke with him on Monday—he’s focused on being here and playing for us. We don’t have any problems, but the reality of soccer is that our best players will always attract attention from other clubs.” And this is where the problems begin, because Tonali is in the same boat as Bruno Guimarães—one of the Magpies’ gems—and just how much attention they’ll attract from other clubs depends heavily on how this season ends. If Newcastle were to return to the Champions League, keeping their stars would be imperative. Otherwise, scenarios could unfold where even Tonali’s departure becomes a possibility, even though his contract doesn’t expire until 2029. The biggest fear at Newcastle is that the situation with the Italian midfielder could repeat the summer saga involving Alexander Isak, who forced the club’s hand by remaining sidelined for the entire summer before ultimately joining Liverpool for 144 million euros. Tonali still feels a moral debt of gratitude to the Magpies for their support during the dark months of his betting-related suspension: it’s hard to imagine him walking away, but it’s easier to see him reevaluating his future if Newcastle doesn’t qualify for the Champions League next year.