Real Madrid had scouts attend Newcastle on Saturday night to get an up-close look at Sandro Tonali, who is looking to rival Arsenal in the summer transfer window.
Sandro Tonali is attracting attention from Europe’s leading players
Real Madrid are set to join Arsenal in the race to sign Newcastle ace Sandro Tonali and were in the stands watching the Italian live on Saturday night.
Tonali has been a key cog for the Magpies since joining the club from AC Milan and was linked with a move to the Gunners in late January. That never happened, but the Spanish giants could provide stiff competition if they want to reignite their interest.
Newcastle are likely to ask for £100m before considering letting Tonali go. Real scouts were at St James’ Park to watch Manchester City’s victory and gather information ahead of their Champions League clash, but they also had their eye on the Italian midfielder, The Sun reports.
The Magpies had to endure a summer-long transfer spree last summer, culminating in the loss of Alexander Isak. This proved to be highly disruptive and his replacement became a problem for a club keen to avoid any recurrence.
Tonali has made 90 appearances for Newcastle over the past two seasons, underscoring his importance. The partnership with Bruno Guimarães has been crucial to the team’s success, and the Italian remains one of the team’s most impressive assets.
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Tonali also has a close relationship with Eddie Howe and remains grateful for the club’s support during the 10-month gambling ban, which came just after Newcastle lost one of their most expensive signings, spending £55m to secure his services.
The 25-year-old is keeping his options open when asked about his future, insisting he takes it one year at a time and needs to “think everything” if an offer comes his way. He said: “This is a difficult question because I know in football you have to think about it every year.
Signing Newcastle’s ace likely to cost £100m
“The last summer was tough for us and for Alex[Isak]but this is football. If you have another team in your life, you have to think about everything. I don’t want to say, ‘Yes, I want to be here for 10 years,’ but I’m happy here right now. I’m not thinking about any other team.”
Newcastle know it will become increasingly difficult to keep their midfield ace if they miss out on European football, which is likely to happen unless they perform well in the final months of the season.
Tonali’s wife gave birth to a son in January, and his family has settled in the northeast and is not actively looking for a way out. Giuseppe Riso, the player’s agent, also tried to play down talk of a transfer in January, insisting: “Transfer talks will take place later. We will see how the season ends and then decide what to do. There is no priority at the moment. It is still too early.”
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