Newcastle United secretly secured Sandro Tonali to a longer deal than initially believed, putting the club in a far stronger position amid renewed European interest in the Italian midfielder.
According
to The Athletic, Tonali originally signed a contract through 2028 when he joined from AC Milan for £55 million in July 2023. But during his 10-month suspension for gambling offences, Newcastle quietly extended his deal by another year, while also inserting a unilateral option that could keep him at St James’ Park until 2030.
“The Athletic has learned that they also extended his contract by a further 12 months, until 2029. The club also had an option which they can unilaterally exercise to prolong it by another year, effectively meaning Tonali is tied down until 2030,” the report said.
Tonali agreed to the extension voluntarily after offering to take a pay cut during his gambling ban, in what club officials saw as a show of loyalty and maturity.
The extension also served as protection for Newcastle’s long-term asset value at a time when rival clubs, particularly Juventus, have maintained interest in the midfielder, with growing whispers of a potential exit each passing week.
Despite frequent speculation about a return to Italy, Newcastle’s position remains firm in wanting the Italy international to stay with the Magpies for the long-term future. The fallout from Alexander Isak’s record sale to Liverpool has reinforced the club’s resolve not to repeat similar scenarios with other key players.
“Newcastle do not want the Isak situation to set a precedent,” The Athletic wrote, noting the club faces “no financial requirement to sell” after the PSR relief from that deal.
Since last December, Tonali has been deployed as a No. 6 in Eddie Howe’s system, anchoring the midfield and dictating play next to fellow midfield maestro Bruno Guimaraes.
Newcastle fans had urged Ross Wilson to prioritize his extension, unaware the contract already ran until 2030, but that’s no longer a concern.
