Sandro Tonali's agent has shut down talk that his client broke down in tears after he was told AC Milan were willing to sell him to Newcastle United.
While Tonali has previously spoken about the prospect of spending the rest of his career at his boyhood club, the Italy international also cautioned that it was 'too early' to make such promises back in December. Sure enough, just a few months on, Tonali has agreed personal terms with Newcastle on a six-year deal.
Much has been made of the fact that Tonali will earn a sizable wage hike, but it is worth remembering that the midfielder took a pay cut to join Milan in the first place. Money has never been Tonali's primary motivation and the 23-year-old would not join Newcastle if he had not been sold by the club's project.
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As former team-mate Nikolas Spalek previously told ChronicleLive: "Everyone wants to play in the Premier League. That's why Sandro will join Newcastle."
Yet a report in La Republicca claimed that Tonali was so desperate to stay at Milan that he started crying when he was informed the Serie A giants were willing to sell him to Newcastle. However, Tonali's agent, Giuseppe Riso, put an end to such talk.
"No, absolutely not," he replied succinctly when asked about the claim.
Although you would not expect Riso to say anything different, it is worth bearing in mind that Newcastle have made a point of only targeting players who they feel are totally committed to joining the club.
