We all knew that Newcastle United was ready to sell a few high-profile players this summer, and they already started the firesale by getting rid of Anthony Gordon.
Now, just a few days after their first massive cash-in, it’s been reported that the Magpies are starting to set prices—albeit gaudy—on most of their other starting-XI performers, including Sandro Tonali, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, with a willingness to sell them.
According to Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder, Newcastle will consider offers
starting at £100million for Tonali, with those close to the player’s entourage pointing to the valuation placed on Elliot Anderson by Nottingham Forest ahead of his likely sale to one of the Manchester clubs.
“Newcastle United won’t entertain bids beneath £100million this summer for Sandro Tonali,” Ryder reported.
According to the report, Tonali is not pushing to leave Tyneside, but Newcastle are aware they may need further sales after Gordon’s £69 million move to Barcelona.
“Like Gordon, Tonali is not agitating to leave Newcastle, but knows the club are being forced into unpopular sales to comply with SCR rules and need to sell in order to buy,” Ryder wrote.
Ryder also reported that Livramento and Hall could be sold if major interest turns into serious offers.
“Full-backs Tino Livramento, wanted by City and Arsenal, and Lewis Hall, eyed by Man United, are also on a list of stars that could yet be sold,” Ryder wrote.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to Newcastle trying to avoid another drawn-out saga such as Alexander Isak’s from last summer, one that surely disrupted the Magpies’ plans for the whole season.
“If an Isak-like scenario presents itself again, any player under contract is going to leave on our terms,” CEO David Hopkinson said.
“If players don’t want to be at Newcastle, I don’t care who they are, let’s get the best possible deal for them now,” Lee added, regarding Newcastle’s mindset entering the upcoming summer transfer market.
For now, it’s one first-team sale (Gordon), one first-time purchase (Ewen Jaouen) for Newcastle, on top of the many ancillary pieces getting moved for one reason or another. We’ll see how things go from there.
