Sandro Tonali to Newcastle United transfer ‘delay’ with two deals set to go through this week - transfer Q&A

We are approaching the third week of the summer transfer window as Newcastle United look to complete some major deals in the coming days and weeks.

What transfer business have Newcastle United done so far this summer?

Newcastle United have completed just one permanent signing so far this summer with 18-year-old winger Minteh joining from Danish side Odense Boldklub for a reported £7million before joining Feyenoord on loan for the 2023-24 campaign. The Magpies have agreed a deal to sign AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali but the transfer is yet to be officially completed.

In terms of outgoings, Chris Wood’s loan move to Nottingham Forest has been made permanent while Ciaran Clark and Matty Longstaff are both out of contract at the end of the month and free to find new clubs.

When will Sandro Tonali’s transfer to Newcastle United officially be announced?

Tonali is set to become a Newcastle United player but there are several factors potentially delaying the finalisation of the transfer. An obvious one is the 23-year-old’s participation in the European Under-21 Championships with Italy Under-21s.

Tonali has contributed with two assists in two matches so far but Italy aren’t yet guaranteed a place in the quarter-final with Norway up next in the final group stage match on Wednesday. Newcastle are understood to have flown out medical staff to Cluj in Romania on Friday to conduct medical tests on the Italian.

The Euro Under-21 Championship runs until July 8. The fact that the transfer window in Italy doesn’t open until July 1, which is also when Premier League clubs are officially allowed to complete international signings, effectively prevents the deal formally going through until that date.

This is why Minteh’s loan transfer to Feyenoord won’t start until July 1.

Another factor potentially at play is a frequent one with many clubs looking to balance their books at the end of the season or the start of a new campaign. AC Milan and Newcastle’s financial performance records for the 2022-23 campaign end on June 30 this week. Transfers confirmed before that date will be included in the 2022-23 season’s transfers while those confirmed after will be for the 2023-24 campaign.

One year ago, Newcastle experienced such an instance of a club deliberately opting to delay a signing in order to have the profits included in the following year’s financial performance data with Sven Botman’s transfer from Lille not being confirmed until July 1 despite being agreed over a week before-hand.

As they did with Botman, Newcastle could confirm the imminent transfer before the end of the month before making it official once the international transfer window had opened.

What is Newcastle United’s new contract state of play?

Newcastle have offered new deals to Loris Karius and Paul Dummett though neither deal has been agreed at the time of writing. Extensions were triggered for Matt Ritchie, Dan Burn and Mark Gillespie while there are also ongoing talks with some of the club’s top senior players regarding new deals.

With Sandro Tonali understood to become new Newcastle’s top earner once he arrives, midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is in discussions regarding a new deal at St James’ Park. Guimaraes’ current contract expires in June 2026.

Joelinton has also reportedly been in talks regarding a new deal after scoring on his Brazil debut.

What is the latest on James Maddison to Newcastle United amid Tottenham Hotspur interest?

After completing Tonali’s transfer, Newcastle will turn their attention back to Leicester City attacking midfielder James Maddison. The 26-year-old has been on holiday in Ibiza over the past week and is set to leave Leicester this transfer window following the club’s relegation to the Championship.

The Foxes want £60million for a player who scored 10 and assisted nine goals for them last season but Newcastle are reluctant to push for any deal above £50million. The Magpies ideally want the player in by the start of the pre-season fixtures at Gateshead on July 15 but they face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

New Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has personally requested for his new club to sign Maddison and also shares an agency with the England international, giving the North London club a slight advantage when it comes to getting a deal agreed.

While Spurs cannot offer any European football next season, Newcastle are preparing to compete in the Champions League once again.

Who else are Newcastle United looking to sign this summer transfer window?

In addition to Tonali and Maddison, Newcastle will look to bring in another central midfielder, a centre-back, an attacking player to assist Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak as well as a left-back this transfer window. Anything more would be viewed as a bonus.

In terms of midfielders, Newcastle have a long list of targets including Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella, Nice’s Khephren Thuram and Wolfsburg’s Felix Nmecha. Closer to home, Leeds United’s Tyler Adams, Manchester United’s Scott McTominay and Sheffield United’s Sander Berge have been monitored. Southampton duo Romeo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse have also reportedly been discussed with Kyle Walker-Peters a full-back option too.

RB Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai was watched twice by Newcastle scouts last month but The Magpies will only consider making a formal approach if or when they fail to land Maddison.

Kieran Tierney has been highlighted as a potential left-back addition but it’s understood Newcastle and Arsenal are a bit apart in their valuations for the Scottish international.

Newcastle are set to ramp up their transfer business over the next month in preparation for the start of the Premier League season at home to Aston Villa on August 12 (5:30pm kick-off). But the majority of their potential incomings will be dictated by the players who they are able to offload this summer.