Newcastle United want the future of Sandro Tonali and other star men resolved early in the summer as part of their plan to overhaul the club’s ageing squad.
The Magpies kick off a crucial seven-game period against the backdrop of genuine uncertainty over what the future might look like. Secure Champions League or Europa League football – which feels like more of a long shot after defeat to Sunderland at St James’ Park – and some of the pressure on key figures will ease. Miss out on Europe entirely and there will be difficult calls to make.
Insiders acknowledge the project is at a crossroads but are adamant on one point – Newcastle’s player trading model “has to change”. “Buying well and selling well” is the new mantra but sources stress that is very different to the idea that Newcastle will acquiesce to Tonali’s suitors and sell below their valuation.
While the narrative since CEO David Hopkinson’s warts and all accounts briefing has been that the door has been opened for Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City to sign Tonali, any deal would have to be done on Newcastle’s terms.
And a big part of that will be potential buying clubs having to declare interest early and meet Newcastle’s asking price of close to £100m for the Italy midfielder. If that doesn’t happen, Tonali will stay and the club believe the player – who has never expressed a desire to leave – will knuckle down and play his part.
Having clear terms for his departure feels like a sensible strategy. The prospect of uncertainty chasing Newcastle through the summer like it did with Alexander Isak is seen as “unacceptable”, in the words of one senior source.
The long, drawn-out £125m deal ruined the club’s summer and undermined their recruitment. Some of those inside Newcastle now acknowledge it would have made more sense to sell earlier in the close season rather than the last minute deal that facilitated the sky high £55m move for Yoane Wissa that will weigh on the club’s squad cost ratio (SCR) calculations for years to come.
Those new rules mean the sale of a Tonali, Tino Livramento or even Anthony Gordon will have to be considered. And an earlier sale would give them a much better idea of how much they can spend.
Complicated new rules mean Newcastle fans will have to get used to the concept of squad costs, which will dictate how they can operate in the financial market.
As part of SCR calculations, which limit spending to 70 per cent of a club’s revenue, each player has a “squad cost” figure assigned to them that is based on their amortised value (their transfer fee divided by contract length) and wages. Tonali’s, given he is half way through a six-year contract, would be around £9m.
If they are able to sell him for something close to £100m they would free up £9m of headroom before the whopping profit they would make on the deal is factored.
In theory, this would allow Newcastle to sign six or seven players at around the £45m mark, effectively funding their entire summer recruitment drive without the need for further sales. The nature of the rules – which require squad costs to be constantly balanced – mean it’s not quite that simple but big sales can be transformative in the new regulations.
In the meantime there’s a feeling that Tonali owes Newcastle.
Read more
Tonali absorbed some criticism from supporters for missing the Tyne-Wear derby – only to be passed fit for Italy’s crunch World Cup qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Bosnia, where he completed 90 minutes and extra time before scoring a penalty in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to make the tournament.
Now fully fit – and with Bruno Guimaraes facing another two games on the sidelines during the Premier League run-in – it will fall to Tonali to be the talisman.
