Months after the conclusion of the Alexander Isak saga, Sandro Tonali is being asked about his future at Newcastle United.
It was an incredibly challenging and infuriating summer for Newcastle United, which ended with Alexander Isak joining Liverpool for a British record fee of £125million.
Amid all of the speculation, Isak was not open with the Newcastle United fans. The only time he spoke out during the summer was in a statement on his Instagram account, talking about promises being broken.
By that point, Isak’s reputation was already in the gutter. He was refusing to train with the rest of the Newcastle United squad, doing his best to force through a move to Liverpool. His statement was not for the fans, it was for himself.
In the end, he got what he wanted. Isak has struggled ever since, but that is Liverpool’s problem.
For Newcastle, they remain committed to ensuring their best players remain at St James’ Park. Top of the pile is Sandro Tonali, who has spoken openly about his future on Tyneside.
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Sandro Tonali opens up the possibility of leaving Newcastle United
It was recently confirmed that Tonali signed a contract extension with Newcastle United during his gambling ban, tying him down to the club until 2029 rather than 2028. The deal also includes an option of an additional 12 months, which effectively means he is committed to the Magpies until 2030.
But while Toon fans want the 25-year-old to be at St James’ Park for as long as possible, the man himself has opened the door to the possibility of a move away.
However, that does not mean it is time to panic.
On his future, Tonali said: “This is a tough question because, you know, [in] football you need to think year for year.
“I don’t want to say I want to stay here 10 years and in two years, three years, four years [or] five years I will go.
“I want to think, just for me, year for year. This is football. The last summer was tough for us, for Alex [Isak], but this is football. If you have an option for your life, for another team you need to think about everything.
“I don’t want to say ‘yes, I want to stay here 10 years’ but now I’m happy here. I don’t think anything about another team.”
Sandro Tonali’s honesty is refreshing after Alexander Isak debacle
It would be easy to look at what Tonali has said about his future and panic. However, that is not how Newcastle United fans should look at it.
A football career is short. While Toon fans will rightly believe that Newcastle United is the only club that matters, players will have ambitions beyond those famous black and white stripes.
Tonali is no different, at a time when he is being viewed as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders.
There may come a time in his career when he wants something new. That time is not necessarily now, but supporters cannot be blind to the fact that it will be a challenge to keep Tonali at St James’ Park for the foreseeable future.
It is not impossible, but it will depend on multiple factors. Are Newcastle United challenging for the biggest honours? Are they paying Tonali what he is worth? Does a return to Italy appeal?
Newcastle can only control what they can control. As for Tonali, his main focus will be his own career. That was also the case for Isak, who did whatever he could to look after himself and only himself this summer.
There is nothing wrong with that, but it was the way he went about it.
In contrast, Tonali is not pulling the wool over the eyes of the Toon Army. He has not said he wants to leave, nor is he going to make promises he cannot keep.
The Italy international has been honest and open, which is not something you could say about Alexander Isak.
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