Arsenal were reportedly on the lookout for a new midfielder in the final days of the January transfer window owing to Mikel Merino’s foot issue. And, they were thought to be in talks to sign Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali last week, but ultimately failed.
Now, Tonali’s agent has seemingly offered the Gunners renewed hope with his comments.
Arsenal Target’s Agent Drops Fresh Transfer Hint
During a recent interview with Tuttosport, Giuseppe Riso opened up on his client’s future at Newcastle and hinted the Italian midfielder could be on the move this summer.
“Newcastle are having a hard time letting go of Sandro, and he wants to lead the team into the UEFA Champions League. These transfer discussions will take place later. We’ll see how the season ends and then decide what to do,” Tonali’s agent remarked.
Asked if Juventus-linked Tonali is hoping to return to the Serie A in the summer, Riso stated the Arsenal transfer target will decide on his goals few months down the line.
“There’s no preference now… it’s still early. What we’re saying today won’t apply tomorrow. Newcastle couldn’t part with him now and it wasn’t worth moving, especially since Sandro’s very attached to the club. We’ll evaluate things in the summer and decide what to do,” the soccer agent clarified about the former AC Milan midfielder’s situation.
Tonali, a holding midfielder with an eye for a pass, has proved to be a major success at the Magpies since leaving AC Milan in a reported $75 million deal in 2023. The 25-year-old has helped his current club lift one EFL Cup, won in the 2024-25 season.
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Meanwhile, Newcastle great Alan Shearer has insisted his former team will struggle to hold on to Tonali if they fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next term.
“Sandro Tonali hasn’t hit the heights he was at last season, but I guess what’ll happen is, if Newcastle do not qualify for Europe or be competitive in the Premier League… you’d expect other clubs to try to buy their best stars. Although it was a surprise in the January window, I think it’ll happen more in the summer,” the Englishman told Betfair.
So far this season, the Arsenal target has made 36 overall appearances for Newcastle, who are in 11th place in the Premier League. He has contributed five assists in 2643 minutes of first-team action for his current club, where he has a deal until June 2028.
