The English fear another Isak case, while at Continassa they are studying a strategy to hand him the keys to midfield

It is no secret that Sandro Tonali is at the top of Juventus’ list for next summer. The secrets, if anything, are to be found in the cryptic half-sentences uttered by his agent at the end of the January transfer window and in a few small actions recorded at Newcastle in recent days, which have given strength to the Continassa men without them having done anything. The midfielder is Juve’s top target for the summer, no longer just a dream, even if it would take a significant investment to bring him back to Italy. However, keep an eye on what happens in England: Newcastle risks being left out of 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 Juve and has asked Comolli to revive the club’s traditions, including greater Italian representation on the pitch. Juve currently has little to show for itself, and Tonali would be a great addition, securing one of the best midfielders in Europe. Of course, it would require a significant financial outlay, but for the men at Continassa, this may no longer be a problem in the summer: Juve is setting up its reinforcement campaign on free transfers and intends to continue Spalletti’s work on some young players on the rise, so there would be room for a single big move. Especially in the face of some transfers: Openda is now at the top of the list of new expendables, but there are others to evaluate once the dust settles. The work of the new coach – who appreciated Tonali during his time with the national team – has put several players who seemed out of the game back on track, so the club (with the next Champions League) would have room to put together a €40-50 million deal. Even the weight of his salary would not be a problem: Tonali earns €5 million net plus €1 million in bonuses at Newcastle, which is in line with what David earns and what Yildiz will earn with his new contract. “Tonali to Juve? It’s not the time to talk about it,” said his agent Beppe Riso (speaking to Sky Sport) on the last day of the January transfer window, denying links between the player and all other destinations.

here newcastle—  The spotlight on Tonali’s future came on Monday morning, when a Newcastle newspaper reported rumors that Arsenal was ready to make a move for the Azzurri midfielder in the final hours of the transfer window. The flat denials from Newcastle, Arsenal, and the player’s entourage (according to a version of the story published by The Athletic, it was the midfielder’s agent who offered him to Arsenal, a hypothesis denied by Riso himself) did not serve to turn off the spotlight, so much so that Eddie Howe returned to the subject in 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 that happen here without my knowledge. Sandro is very happy here, he has a great relationship with me and his teammates, and he seems happy with his situation. I spoke to him on Monday, and he is focused on being here and playing for us. We have no problems, but the reality of football is that our best players will always attract the attention of other clubs.” And this is where the problems begin, because Tonali is with Bruno Guimarães, one of the Magpies’ gems, and how much attention they attract from other clubs will depend largely on how this season ends. If Newcastle are to return to the Champions League, securing their stars will be imperative. Otherwise, scenarios could arise where even Tonali’s sale is possible, even though his contract expires in 2029. The biggest fear at Newcastle is that the Italian midfielder could repeat the soap opera experienced in the summer with Alexander Isak, who forced the club’s hand by remaining separated from the team throughout the summer and then ending up at Liverpool for €144 million. Tonali still feels a moral debt of gratitude to the Magpies for their support during the dark months of his betting ban: it is difficult to imagine him leaving, and more likely that he will reassess his future if Newcastle do not play in the Champions League next year.