Sandro Tonali has been persuaded to sacrifice his lifelong dream of being an AC Milan legend to join Newcastle.
The 23-year old’s footballing mission was to play for the club his dad supports, and become one of the club’s legends like Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi. Tonali won Serie A with Milan in 2022, their first for 11 years and became one of their skippers, as his Milan supporting family lived the dream.
He even admitted last year: “I’d never make the mistake of leaving. I know what I went through to get here. I dream of becoming a ‘bandiera’, the flag-bearer, as Maldini, Franco Baresi were.”
But money talks – around £60million to Milan from Saudi rich Newcastle, plus a £8m per year over a six-year contract. The deal was being finalised on Thursday.
Newcastle officials were in Milan to thrash out terms, and a medical could take place in Romania where Tonali is captaining Italy Under-21s at the European Championship.
Leaving Italy will be a wrench, but Tonali has been advised of the players, including Bruno Guimaraes, whose careers have gone to a new level since joining Newcastle’s evolution under boss Eddie Howe.
Tonali had watched Milan from the San Siro terraces from the age of 10. His dad Giandomenico, coming from the nearby town of Lodi, was an “ultra” fan who cheered from the curva and travelled to away games.
He was twice rejected by the Milan academy despite wearing their colours at the Lombardia Uno soccer school affiliated to the club. No wonder Tonali said: “I never imagined I’d get to play there in that jersey."
Instead, he first caught the eye aged 17 at Brescia and was hyped at the new Andrea Pirlo, which he found a “burden." So he claimed Gennaro Gattuso was his role model – he had a mug with his picture on as a kid – and when Milan signed him from Brescia, initially on loan, in September 2020, he asked for Gattuso’s No8 shirt.
He made the move permanent only after accepting a pay cut having initially struggled. He found his feet during the behind closed doors covid-hit period, and was a leader for Milan, winning the title last year. Last season he made 48 appearances as they finished fourth and reached the Champions League semi finals.
Gattuso advised him to live by “traditional values,” something Howe will appreciate. Tonali is Milan’s running man, covering the most distance, and second in the side at high speed, fitting Howe’s intensity is out identity” ethos.
He’ll be used as a deep-lying midfielder, but got seven assists last term, can take set pieces, and ranks well for ball carrying and regaining possession.
