Newcastle United problem emerges as ‘no guarantees’ £60m player will sign new contract
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(Credit: Hasan Karim - Breaking Media, Imago)
Oliver Walton
Fri 26 September 2025 7:00, UK
Newcastle’s hierarchy are worried about a certain key player’s contract situation as their attempts to tie him down to a fresh deal could prove futile.
Newcastle wanted to prove to the rest of the Premier League that they had fully established themselves among the elite clubs over the summer, but things did not quite pan out the way they would have liked.
They routinely missed out on their top transfer targets, with Hugo Ekitike joining Liverpool, Bryan Mbeumo moving to Man United and Benjamin Sesko leaving RB Leipzig for Arsenal, among many others.
Eddie Howe was eventually able to get a few key captures over the line as Nick Woltemade joined Newcastle and Jacob Ramsey arrived from Aston Villa, but their squad has not improved a whole lot and they have struggled so far this term as a result.
Their poor form to start the campaign off has raised questions around a number of important stars’ futures and their existing contracts, and one key man in particular may be set to leave with the Magpies’ board unsure that he will pen fresh terms.
Newcastle are concerned about Sandro Tonali’s future at the club – Copyright: Malcolm Mackenzie
Sandro Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan for £60million [ESPN] in 2023 to become the most expensive Italian player ever, and he has impressed for the club in the last two years despite serving a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations not long after joining.
The 25-year-old featured 45 times last term as the Magpies finished fifth in the top-flight, but the Telegraph (25 September) have reported that there is a “concern” at St James’ Park that he is entering the third year of the contract he signed in 2023 and will only have two years remaining in the summer.
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Ross Wilson, who is expected to be named as their new sporting director soon, is set to make contract talks with Tonali a “priority” upon being appointed, but the Telegraph state that there are “no guarantees” that he will sign a new deal.
Tonali won all of his ground and aerial duels in the first two games of Newcastle’s season, and he has been a key cog in Howe’s midfield over the last 12 months.
Losing him would have been a big blow over the summer, after reports of Juventus’ interest in Tonali emerged in August, and even though he stayed on Tyneside, the Italian giants are known to be long-term admirers of his talents so may well go back in for him next summer.
AppearancesGoalsAssists6373Tonali’s Newcastle United career stats.
Newcastle will need to prove that they are serious about competing at the top in the Premier League and towards the latter stages of the Champions League this season if they are to convince Tonali that he should stay at the club for the years to come.
They will at least be relaxed about receiving a fee for his services, considering that his contract runs until 2028, but replacing him will be their main worry, as finding a player of his talent and potential will not be easy or cheap to do.