Euro giants trying to sign £120k-p/w Newcastle star PIF don’t want to sell

One of Newcastle United’s highest-earning players is now being chased by top clubs in Europe, according to a new report from Spain.

Newcastle transfer news

After a disappointing first-half of the season that sees Newcastle sit firmly in the bottom half of the Premier League table, manager Eddie Howe has hinted on numerous occasions that he needs reinforcements in January. Getting them, however, remains unlikely.

The Magpies have spent over £400 million on new players since PIF took over in 2021, but their revenue remains relatively low. As such, they must now avoid spending large sums of money to avoid breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

“It’s what you can do, not what you want to do,” Howe said in a press conference earlier this week.

“I keep saying the same thing about January, I wouldn’t expect us to be in a position to be too active in the market,” he explained. “As we currently stand up, things can change. You know, if we trade players, of course that’s different, but if we don’t trade players, I would expect us to be quiet.”

Sell to buy on Tyneside?

One player that Newcastle could reportedly sell to raise money to spend after the New Year is Sandro Tonali. The Italian midfielder has, according to reports from Spain, been identified as a main target for Serie A giants Juventus, who are seeking a solution to the inconsistency in their midfield.

Tonali’s former club AC Milan are also thought to be interested in bringing him back to the San Siro, just 18 months after he left for St. James’ Park. The Spanish publication claims that Milan’s interest in Tonali has been boosted by a recent injury to his former midfield teammate Ismael Bennacer, but PIF do not want to sell the player, potentially making it a costly operation for either Italian side.

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TalkSPORT claims however that the Magpies are also under pressure to sell to avoid breaching Premier League spending rules. Gazzetta dello Sport, meanwhile, reports that Tonali himself is also keen to leave England and return to Italy.

Tonali’s debut season at St. James’ Park was significantly disrupted after he received a ten-month suspension for violating betting rules. Speaking earlier this year, Tonali opened up about his difficult first season in England.

“Last year’s was a very hard, but very productive journey. I will always carry with me the memory of the year I spent off the field because it is right not to forget it,” he said. “I think when a player trains all week without his ultimate goal, which is the game, he finds a sense of emptiness within himself.”

The Italy international, who earns £120,000-per-week at Newcastle, added: “It wasn’t easy to be away from home for the first year without playing an official game, but just trying to maintain fitness. That was the challenge I had to take as seriously as possible.”