Transfer deadline day saw a shameless load of nonsense about Sandro Tonali and a ‘shock’ possible last minute move from Newcastle United to Arsenal.
It was almost as though the media wanted a drama where in reality…there was none.
Saying nothing is going to happen on transfer deadline day isn’t going to stir up interest and clicks.
Even if you wanted to believe there had been an ‘approach’ from Arsenal in the very final stages of that transfer window, the idea of what would be such a huge deal getting sorted at the last minute is laughable.
A transfer on that kind of scale would have had to have been worked on for a considerable amount of time and of course it turned out to be all nonsense. There hadn’t even been an approach from Arsenal, nor of course Sandro Tonali offered to the Gunners.
At a time when Newcastle United were still involved in four competitions and had a lengthy injury list, especially in midfield. Sandro Tonali leaving United in this last transfer window is just a daft non-story.
Of course, as one transfer window closes, desperate media speculation begins instantly about the next window!
The media, especially that covering football, has never been in a more desperate state, never has the content and dramatic headlines been more embarrassing than it is these days, especially local media.
Once upon a time the local newspapers were absolutely essential when it came to Newcastle United and keeping up with what was happening, now it is the exact opposite. Nobody needs the local media. They have simply become amongst the many desperate websites wanting your attention. The headlines have never ever been so bad as they are these days, in terms of over promising and then underwhelming when you read the actual article. Indeed, the more cynical amongst you might even think that these days the main aim is deception when it comes to the headlines…
Anyway, Sandro Tonali.
The Newcastle midfielder’s agent has been speaking to the media once again, Beppe Riso talking to Tuttosport in Italy.
A number of things to be aware of here, as well as some desperate twisting/exaggeration by English media of Riso’s latest comments about Sandro Tonali.
The comments on Tonali were just one small part of a large interview with Beppe Riso.
Riso and his company GR Sports dominate the market when it comes to Italian players. When it came to business in this window just closed, they took the lion’s share of the activity involving Italian players, including the moves of Giova to Napoli and Venturino to Roma, amongst others.
Also, remember that for agents to make the really big money, it relies on star players moving clubs to generate the top end cash.
You also have to realise/remember that the Italian media are just as desperate as the English media for attention. This is in terms of all year round, all major players, all clubs, they have to constantly publish stuff to try and get attention and appeal to their market. This is why ever since he signed for Newcastle United, we get constant stories in the Italian media of how Sandro Tonali could be returning to Serie A. Tonali is one of Italy’s best and most newsworthy players, so even if nothing is happening they basically have to make stuff up. Just as we deride the English media for doing so endlessly with countless players. It doesn’t exactly help when you have the shameful state BBC Sport is in now, they will shamelessly repeat any absolute nonsense invented by any website, in the UK or overseas, even if they have zero credibility and a history of clearly just making stuff up.
So in this interview with Tuttosport, amongst the many questions Beppe Riso was asked about, was the daft deadline day stuff in the media about Sandro Tonali and Arsenal, whether this will carry on into the summer transfer window.
Tonali’s agent answering: “Newcastle United want to keep Sandro and he wants to lead the club into the Champions League [this season]. These transfer discussions [if they take place] will take place later, we will see how the season ends and then decide what to do.”
Beppe Riso then asked about the endless stories these past three years about Sandro Tonali potentially gong back to Serie A, with currently Juventus the club that the Italian media most push at the minute Riso asked if Juve would be an ideal destination if Sandro Tonali did leave Newcastle: “There is no preference [on where Sandro Tonali would go if he did ever leave Newcastle]. Newcastle couldn’t part with him [in the window just closed] and it wasn’t worth moving, especially since Sandro is very attached to the club. We’ll evaluate things in the summer and decide what to do.”
You also have the problem so often of interviews in another language getting lost in translation by the English media, often deliberately!
Bottom line is that agents are always going to be interested in players they represent, moving clubs. As I said earlier, that is where they can make the biggest bucks.
However, nothing that Beppe Riso said here was the cause of any drama or concern.
Eddie Howe said he had spoken to Sandro Tonali in midweek and what he said about that conversation was pretty much replicated in this agent interview. Howe said the midfielder is happy at Newcastle United and as is always the case with any player, you can’t say for sure what will happen in the future. And those who claim they can guarantee whatever in the future, are lying!!
It is simply the case that the more successful the team is, the more chance of keeping your best players long-term.
The best players want to play in the best competitions and Newcastle United doing well in this season’s Champions League is a big deal. As is, Eddie Howe and his squad trying to add to two Champions League qualifications in three seasons.
The success on the pitch, is also key to the club making more money, that can then fund higher wage deals for the likes of Sandro Tonali and others at NUFC.
We are now heading towards five years since the takeover and Eddie Howe coming in, in that time there has only been one player who ended up wanting to leave. The nature of football is that pretty much all players eventually move to another club, most often because the club wants it to happen!
Exactly how long Sandro Tonali, or any other player, will be at Newcastle United, depends on so many factors. As a fan, if you want to choose to believe every desperate negative media story regarding Newcastle United, including a player potentially leaving, then that is your choice. For me, it is simply a case of getting on with things until something does change, until there a decision to be made by player AND club. The only thing that is important is that every match Sandro Tonali gives his all and whilst he has had some below par games this season, there is no doubt that this is what Tonali gives, his very best effort in every match.
Also in the mix, Sandro Tonali is effectively contracted to Newcastle United for another four and a half years (contracted to end of June 2029 but NUFC having the option of triggering an extra year on top of that) , through to end of June 2030. So absolutely no pressure whatsoever for Newcastle on that front, so even if you believe that he could leave this summer (or whenever), you are talking serious money.
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