Man United get Sandro Tonali transfer incentive with Newcastle admitting ace could go if price is right

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali is understood to be admired by Manchester United as they look to overhaul their midfield in the summer transfer window

Newcastle CEO David Hopkinson has insisted Sandro Tonali will only be allowed to leave the club on the Magpies’ terms this summer. Manchester United have been heavily linked with the Italian midfielder and MEN Sport reported in February that the 25-year-old was admired by the Reds.

With Casemiro leaving at the end of the season and Manuel Ugarte also expected to be granted an exit, Tonali is seen as a player who could form a major role in the Reds’ midfield rebuild. In the January transfer window, Tonali’s representatives were believed to have spoken to Arsenal about a possible deal but that didn’t materialise.

Tonali is thought to be keen to play Champions League football next season and Newcastle look unlikely to qualify for the competition. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hopkinson insisted the club would only allow the midfielder to leave if the move suited them. “We haven’t got an overall strategy with regard to players out, necessarily,” he said when asked specifically about Tonali.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

“We think through what players might or might not want to do this summer. But if an [Alexander] Isak-like scenario presents itself again, any player under contract is going to leave on our terms and we’re going to maximise the opportunity that might represent for the club.

“Going forward, our strategy is to buy well and sell well. Buying well does not necessarily mean spending the most money. It means working in the marketplace for the players that generate the most value for this club rather than the fee paid for them.

“So there are a multitude of things we need to employ, including developing our own, looking for opportunities in the marketplace and making sure we are maximising our opportunity within the available price we can produce.”

Tonali is not the only Newcastle player to be linked with United. Reuters reported this month that their captain Bruno Guimaraes was in advanced talks with the Reds.

But when asked about this, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe denied this was the case. “I don’t even know how to respond to that,” he said.

“I don’t even think I should because it’s a waste of my energy. I’m not going to be impolite because I don’t think it’s the forum to do that in.

“For me it’s a nonsense story. Bruno’s our captain, he’s fully committed. He’s injured at the moment, his only focus is coming back to fitness.

“For me, it is not the time to think about it. In the summer, you can understand those stories a little bit more because the transfer window is open.

“To say our captain is in discussions with another club is totally disrespectful to Bruno more than anything else. He is totally committed here.”