Tonali’s future has come into focus in the last 24 hours after Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport suggested the midfielder is unsettled at St James’ Park and is open to a return to his homeland.
Since coming back from his 10-month betting ban – which was enforced just three months after his £55million switch from AC Milan – at the end of August, Tonali has been available for 13 Premier League games but started only six. And up until his full 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on November 30, Tonali had played more minutes for Italy in the Nations League.
Based on the above, as well as considering the Magpies’ poor start to the campaign, it is very easy for the Italian media – who have been cooking up the idea of Tonali and Milan reunion since the moment he left – to reach such a conclusion.
The truth is, Howe remains determined to get the best out of the 24-year-old. After he was rested against Brentford, it’s perhaps easy to forget that the signs were promising in the draws against Palace and Liverpoolearlier this month.
“That one is news to me,” Howe said recently when asked about rumours of a Tonali exit. “It is not something I am even contemplating. I am trying to build Sandro into the team after his ban.
“I think he has performed really well the last few games, I have been really pleased with how he is finding his feet in the team.
“He is building new relationships. It is not just the player coming into the team it is also the players around Sandro because he is such a central player how those relationships start to form, and I have been pleased how they have.
“I think he’s been very good psychologically, his attitude has been excellent and I am really hopeful for the future of him in our team.”
Howe’s words only really fall down if the player himself instigated a move, an incredibly unlikely scenario. Having featured just 27 times in black and white, Tonali should feel he owes Newcastle a whole lot more.
