Sandro Tonali signed secret Newcastle contract extension after gambling ban – The Athletic
Sandro Tonali has another three full seasons to run on his contract, plus Newcastle United hold the option of extending it by a further year, due to a secret deal handed to the midfielder — meaning the club are in a far stronger position to keep their star player than previously thought.
The 25-year-old joined Newcastle from AC Milan for £55million ($73.2m at current rates) in July 2023 on a deal until 2028, but was given a 10-month suspension from football that October for gambling offences.
At that point, Tonali approached the club about taking a pay cut during his ban and, while Newcastle accepted, The Athletic has learned that they also extended his contract by a further 12 months, until 2029. The club also had an option which they can unilaterally exercise to prolong it by another year, effectively meaning Tonali is tied down until 2030.
Tonali was very receptive to extending his deal at that point, to repay the faith shown in him during his time out.
That makes the need for Newcastle to tie the Italy international down to a longer deal less pressing, although Tonali’s consistently excellent performances have attracted potential suitors across Europe who could offer more lucrative terms.
Regardless, Newcastle’s risky decision to extend Tonali’s deal has proven to be an inspired move. Earlier this month, former Manchester United player Paul Scholes labelled Tonali as the best midfielder in the Premier League and “better than (Declan) Rice” on the Overlap podcast.
Although Tonali scored on his Premier League debut against Aston Villa, he made just 12 appearances across all competitions before his suspension.
Yet Newcastle’s recruitment team were adamant the Italy international would develop into a top-class midfielder. So, to demonstrate their support for Tonali — who, according to his agent Giuseppe Riso, suffered from a “gambling illness” — and also to safeguard themselves long term when it came to their midfielder’s value, they offered him an additional two years on to his original deal.
Tonali has been one of Newcastle’s key players (George Wood/Getty Images)
Tonali has repeatedly been linked with a move back to Italy in recent windows, with Juventus strongly credited with an interest throughout the summer, but Newcastle are determined to keep hold of their star players.
The fallout from the Alexander Isak saga remains raw. After insisting throughout the summer that the striker was not for sale, Newcastle reluctantly agreed to a British-record £125m deal with Liverpool on deadline day. Moving forward, Newcastle do not want the Isak situation to set a precedent and they want to avoid similar scenarios unfolding with other key players.
In time, should Tonali continue to excel, he may warrant a pay rise, but in the short-to-medium term Newcastle are under no pressure to sell the Italian. Not only does he have more than four years remaining on his deal, but the PSR (the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules) boost from the Isak profit means there is no financial requirement to sell either.
Tonali has started all eight of Newcastle’s Premier League games so far this season and both of their Champions League ties, though he missed Tuesday’s win against Benfica at St James’ Park due to illness.
Newcastle better equipped to keep ‘excellent’ Tonali
Analysis by Newcastle correspondent Chris Waugh
This news should go at least some way to reassuring those Newcastle fans who have feared a repeat of the Isak debacle with Tonali.
Since December, when he was consistently deployed as a No 6 rather than as a No 8, the Italian has established himself as Newcastle’s most important player. He senses, and then thwarts, danger, and covers so much ground defensively, while on the ball he is an excellent distributor and orchestrates Newcastle’s attacks.
Many supporters have been pleading with Ross Wilson, the sporting director, to prioritise securing Tonali to a longer deal as one of his first acts. At least when it comes to contract length, that is not essential, with those inside the club knowing for the past two years that the midfielder was committed to Newcastle until 2030, rather than the initially confirmed 2028.
Newcastle want to avoid a repeat of the transfer saga that led to Isak moving to Liverpool (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Of course, just because Tonali’s deal has four full seasons left to run, rather than two, does not mean clubs will be entirely deterred from trying to lure him away. Isak welcomed Liverpool’s overtures because of their on-field success, but also because they could offer him a substantially higher wage — and, in the short-to-medium term, Newcastle will still be unable to match the salaries that the biggest clubs in Europe can pay.
Yet Newcastle can demand a higher fee for a player who is contracted to them for longer. What’s more, given Tonali has already served a 10-month suspension, and regardless of whether he has stopped gambling — which Newcastle are confident he has — the fear of losing a big-money signing for a prolonged period should he be caught betting again may make some clubs cautious about forking out a fee well in excess of the £55m Newcastle paid two years ago.
Tonali has also expressed his gratitude to Newcastle as a club and its fanbase for offering him unwavering support during his ban. Previously, figures at Newcastle believed Tonali felt he had to repay the club by performing on the pitch, but whether that extends to remaining on Tyneside for the peak years of his career remains to be seen.
Certainly, if he is to leave, it will not be on the cheap, because Newcastle are far better protected than had been publicly known.
