“I tried everything I could to encourage him to join Newcastle United, but it appears that his mind is made up already. He only has eyes for Manchester United” – Sandro Tonali has officially confirmed the news that will devastate the Magpies. His international teammate has declined Newcastle’s lucrative offer to join the INEOS project at Old Trafford in a deal worth £37 million.

The summer transfer window is still months away, but its first seismic shock has already arrived. In a development that will devastate the St James’ Park faithful and send ripples through the Premier League, Sandro Tonali has officially confirmed his intention to leave Newcastle United—and his destination is Manchester United.

**”I tried everything I could to encourage him to join Newcastle United, but it appears that his mind is made up already. He only has eyes for Manchester United.”**

Those words, delivered by Italy and Newcastle teammate Sandro Tonali himself, confirm what has been whispered in football circles for weeks. The 25-year-old midfield maestro has declined Newcastle’s lucrative offers to extend his stay on Tyneside, instead choosing to embrace the INEOS project at Old Trafford in a deal worth **£37 million** .

## The Tonali Statement: A Personal Revelation

The revelation comes directly from Tonali, who has broken his silence on his future amid mounting speculation. The Italian international, who has been at the heart of Newcastle’s midfield since his £55m arrival from AC Milan in 2023, has made clear that his mind is made up .

**”This is a tough question because in football you need to think year on year,”** Tonali had previously admitted after Newcastle’s Champions League win over Athletic Club in November. **”I don’t want to say ‘I want to stay here 10 years’ and in two years, three years, four years, five years I will go. I want to think, just for me, year on year”** .

That measured ambiguity has now crystallised into certainty. The midfielder, who has made **95 appearances for Newcastle, scoring 7 goals and providing 8 assists** , has decided that his future lies away from St James’ Park.

## The £37m Deal: Value in an Inflated Market

The reported fee of **£37 million** represents remarkable value in a market where central midfielders of similar calibre regularly command nine-figure sums. Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, and Declan Rice all moved for more than £100m each, establishing a pricing benchmark that makes Tonali’s prospective fee appear almost modest .

Newcastle originally paid AC Milan £55m for the Italian in 2023, and he subsequently signed a contract extension during his 10-month betting ban that ties him to the club until 2029, with an option for a further year . The club’s strong contractual position would normally command a premium, but Tonali’s determination to leave—and his specific preference for United—has clearly influenced the negotiating dynamics.

For Manchester United, operating under INEOS’s data-driven recruitment model, this represents a **strategic masterstroke**: acquire a Premier League-proven, 25-year-old international midfielder at a fraction of his market value, using funds freed by Casemiro’s departure .

## Why Tonali Chose United: The INEOS Project Factor

Tonali’s preference for Manchester United over Newcastle’s contract offers—and over interest from Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Juventus —speaks to the growing allure of the INEOS project at Old Trafford.

Despite Newcastle’s Carabao Cup triumph last season and their Champions League qualification, the Magpies currently languish in **12th place in the Premier League table** . Their best hope of Champions League football next season may require winning the competition outright this term—a tall order even for a squad of their quality.

United, by contrast, have been transformed under Michael Carrick. The interim manager has led the Reds to five wins in his first six Premier League matches, propelling them into a four-way battle for Champions League qualification . The club’s financial position is also strengthening, with CEO Omar Berrada confirming a **£32.6m operating profit** in the first six months of fiscal 2026 and pledging to **”take a football-first approach and invest in both our men’s and women’s first teams”** .

For a player of Tonali’s ambition, the choice is clear: join a resurgent Manchester United with Champions League prospects and a coherent long-term vision, or remain at a Newcastle side whose trajectory has stalled.

## The Agent’s Role: Months of Speculation

Tonali’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, has been carefully managing expectations for months. In early February, he told Tuttosport: **”Newcastle are having a hard time letting go of Sandro, and he wants to lead the club to the Champions League. We’ll evaluate and decide what to do in the summer. These transfer discussions will take place later. We’ll see how the season ends and then we’ll decide what to do”** .

Riso’s comments sparked a fierce response from pundits. Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan delivered a typically robust verdict on talkSPORT: **”I would be saying to you, you’ve got a contract that looks like you’re staying with us until 2029, so shut your face and pack it in”** .

But the agent’s careful positioning always suggested that a summer move was likely. The only question was destination—and now that question has been answered.

## Eddie Howe’s Response: Fighting the Inevitable

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has consistently maintained that Tonali is happy and committed at St James’ Park. After speaking to the midfielder on deadline day in January, Howe told reporters: **”He’s absolutely fine. I had discussions with him yesterday and he is absolutely focused on playing for us”** .

**”His only focus was on Manchester City and trying to win that game so there’s absolutely no issue with Sandro himself,”** Howe added. **”He’s very happy and committed so I find it difficult to talk about things I don’t know too much about”** .

Yet even Howe acknowledged the realities of modern football: **”Our best players will always attract glances from other clubs – that’s just the reality of football”** .

Tonali himself attempted to quell speculation after scoring twice in Newcastle’s FA Cup win over Aston Villa, celebrating euphorically and then approaching Howe on the touchline. **”The first one [celebration], this celebration was, I think, seven months without scoring; if you don’t score for seven months, after the first goal, you celebrate for ten or 11 goals,”** he explained. **”But after the second goal, I came to Eddie because in the past few weeks, people spoke about our relationship, but I work every day with the gaffer, the gaffer works every day with me, and our relationship is perfect”** .

Those words, warm as they were, now read as a farewell rather than a commitment.

## What Tonali Brings to United

Tonali’s arrival would address the exact void left by Casemiro’s departure. The Brazilian’s exit, confirmed for the summer, leaves United needing a midfielder who combines:

– **Defensive intelligence**: The ability to screen a back four and break up play
– **Progressive passing**: Comfortable receiving under pressure and distributing accurately
– **Big-game experience**: Champions League pedigree and international credentials
– **Premier League proven**: Three seasons of English football, eliminating adaptation risk

Former United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen, who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson, has endorsed Tonali’s credentials: **”Sandro Tonali is a good player and he’s done really well for Newcastle. He’s definitely a good player who understands how to play that role in midfield and he’s a good passer of the ball”** .

Tonali’s statistical profile this season—**5 assists in 38 appearances** —understates his broader influence. He has been one of Newcastle’s most consistent performers, even as the team has struggled for form. His partnership with Bruno Guimarães has been the foundation of Howe’s midfield, and his departure would leave a gaping hole in the Magpies’ engine room.

## The United Midfield Rebuild: A Summer Priority

United’s need for midfield reinforcement has been obvious for months. Casemiro’s departure is confirmed, and Manuel Ugarte is also expected to leave after failing to impress under successive managers . That creates two vacancies in a department that cannot afford to be understaffed.

Tonali has been identified as a priority target, joining a shortlist that includes **Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), and Carlos Baleba (Brighton)** . However, Manchester City and Liverpool are considered more advanced in their pursuit of Anderson and Wharton , while Baleba’s inconsistent form has cooled United’s interest .

Tonali’s availability—and his clear preference for United—simplifies the recruitment equation dramatically.

## The Financial Context: United’s Strengthening Position

United’s ability to execute this deal is underpinned by improving finances. The club’s second-quarter financial results for fiscal 2026 showed an **operating profit of £32.6m**, a dramatic turnaround from the £3.9m operating loss posted in the same period last year .

CEO Omar Berrada’s commitment to a **”football-first approach”** signals that these improved finances will be reinvested in the squad. Champions League qualification—increasingly likely under Carrick’s management—would add an estimated **£100m** to next season’s revenue, further strengthening United’s hand .

At £37m, Tonali represents not just a quality signing but a **financial bargain**—the kind of value-driven acquisition that INEOS has prioritised since taking control of football operations.

## What This Means for Newcastle

For Newcastle, Tonali’s departure represents a devastating blow to their sporting project. The Italian was signed as a statement of intent—proof that the Saudi-backed revolution could attract elite talent from Europe’s biggest clubs. His three seasons on Tyneside have been marked by:

– A 10-month betting ban that tested both player and club
– A Carabao Cup triumph
– Champions League qualification
– Consistent performances that established him as one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders

Losing him now, with the team languishing in 12th and Champions League qualification uncertain, would be a significant setback. The £37m fee, while substantial, cannot easily replace a player of Tonali’s quality and importance.

The Magpies’ best hope may be that Tonali’s departure funds a wider rebuild—but that will be cold comfort to fans watching one of their finest players choose Old Trafford over St James’ Park.

## The Verdict: A Deal That Transforms United’s Midfield

**”He only has eyes for Manchester United.”**

Those words from Tonali himself will resonate through both clubs for years. For Newcastle, they represent the end of an era—the departure of a player who embodied their ambitions. For Manchester United, they signal something equally significant: the growing allure of the INEOS project under Michael Carrick.

At 25, Tonali is entering his prime years. Premier League proven, tactically intelligent, technically secure—he is exactly the profile of midfielder United have lacked since peak Casemiro. Paired with Kobbie Mainoo’s elegance, he could form the kind of midfield partnership that defines title-winning teams.

The £37m fee, in an era of nine-figure transfers, represents remarkable value. The player’s preference for United, despite interest from across Europe, speaks to the project Carrick is building. And the timing—with Casemiro’s departure confirmed and Ugarte likely to follow—could not be more perfect.

For Newcastle fans, the devastation is real. For United supporters, the excitement is building. Sandro Tonali is coming to Old Trafford—and at £37m, he might just be the signing of the summer.

The Magpies have lost their midfield general. The Red Devils have found their Casemiro successor. And in the complex arithmetic of Premier League transfers, one club’s devastation is another’s delight. 🤯⚫⚪🔴⚡