Report: Newcastle close to signing AC Milan's Tonali for €70M
Newcastle United are in advanced talks with AC Milan over a potential €70-million deal for Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali, sources told The Athletic's David Ornstein and James Horncastle.
However, Milan are hoping to get closer to €80 million, Sky Sport Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio reports.
The Rossoneri reportedly rejected Newcastle's initial €50-million proposal.
Tonali already agreed to terms on a six-year contract with the Magpies worth up to €10 million annually, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano. The 23-year-old was reportedly earning around €2.5 million per season at Milan.
Tonali, a self-described Milan fan who took a pay cut to join the team from Brescia in 2021, signed a new five-year contract with the Rossoneri in September. He's currently captaining Italy at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Romania and Georgia.
The midfielder played a big role in Milan's most recent renaissance. His late winner against Lazio in April 2022 helped the club win its first Serie A title in 11 years, and he continued to show his class in the Champions League this past season, logging the most minutes of any outfield player in the competition. He also finished in a tie for third in key passes with 22, joining Napoli's Piotr Zielinski and Manchester City's treble winners Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne as the Champions League's most creative players.
Tonali recorded seven goals and 11 assists in 127 appearances for Milan.