'Really hopeful' - Newcastle United respond to Sandro Tonali 'dream' transfer claim
Eddie Howe has responded to claims Sandro Tonali could return to Italy after a difficult start to life at Newcastle United.
Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan last summer for £52million, becoming the most expensive Italian ever in the process. But after just 12 appearances last season he was hit with a 10-month betting ban.
The 24-year-old midfielder has since returned to playing for Newcastle and the Italy national team. But reports from Fichajes in Spain claim that Milan would be keen on re-signing Tonali in a ‘dream’ move - something Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe admitted was ‘news to me’.
“It is not something I am contemplating,” Howe said. “I am trying to build Sandro into the team after his ban. He has performed really well in the last few games.
“I have been really pleased with how he is finding his feet in the team. He is building new relationships. It is not just the player coming into the team it is also the players around Sandro and how those relationships start to form.
“I have been pleased how they have. He has been very good psychologically, his attitude has been excellent and I am really hopeful for the future of him in our team.”
Tonali made a near-perfect first impression at Newcastle with a goal and man-of-the-match display on his Premier League debut in a 5-1 win over Aston Villa last August. But the Italian has been unable to replicate that level of performance in black and white to date.
He has started the last three matches for Newcastle in the Premier League but is yet to complete 90 minutes for the club this season. Since Tonali’s arrival he has made 19 appearances for Newcastle but only completed one full match.
When asked how Newcastle can get the best out of Tonali, Howe added: “A lot of individual meetings with him. A lot of tactical reviews.
“It is one thing reviewing his training performances but that is totally different from reviewing his match performances and find ways of taking his game to another level. It is a lot easier when a player is in the team.
“I have pleased the way he has come back from his ban. The international games have helped him and he has made a good transition back into the team.”