Sandro Tonali ‘happy’ At Newcastle But Howe ‘not In Control’ Of Italian’s Future

Eddie Howe has admitted he is “not successful control” of Sandro Tonali’s future, but Newcastle’s head believes nan Italy midfielder remains happy connected Tyneside. A quiet transportation deadline time astatine St James’ Park featured swiftly crushed suggestions that Arsenal were poised to bid for Tonali. There were fears it could beryllium a precursor to a perchance agent-led inaugural to move nan midfielder this summer.

Howe, possibly fearing a repetition of nan debilitating saga that led to Alexander Isak’s departure for Liverpool successful nan summer, held talks connected Monday pinch his £55m signing.

Asked whether he had uncovered immoderate hidden schedule down nan rumours, he said: “I don’t deliberation so. That would astonishment me. But tons of things hap without my knowledge. As acold arsenic I’m alert though we’ve sewage a subordinate that’s an outstanding footballer, an outstanding person.

“Sandro’s very happy here. He’s sewage a awesome narration pinch maine and his teammates and he seems really, really, happy wrong himself. I don’t spot an issue, but I’m not successful power of everything. If I knew wherever everything [rumours] came from I’d beryllium wiser. But Sandro is perfectly fine. I had discussions pinch him yesterday. His attraction is connected nan present and now pinch us.

“There’s nary rumor pinch Sandro. He’s happy and committed. But our champion players will ever beryllium attracting glances from different clubs – that’s conscionable nan reality of football.”

Given that Tonali is contracted until 2029 pinch an action to widen by a year, he would bid a precocious fee, leaving Newcastle, theoretically astatine least, successful a beardown position.

The aforesaid cannot beryllium said of their hopes of reaching a 3rd Carabao Cup last successful 4 years. The holders recreation to Manchester City connected Wednesday for nan semi-final 2nd leg, trailing 2-0.

Eddie Howe needs his Newcastle squad to overturn a 2-0 shortage from nan first limb against Manchester City. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA

“It will beryllium an almighty challenge,” said Howe, who is again without nan injured Bruno Guimarães and Lewis Miley. “But we person to person belief. We person nan talent.”

Howe could person done pinch January reinforcements, but said Premier League spending rules near him pinch nary room for manoeuvre. “Financially it wasn’t possible,” he said. “We are nether financial restrictions and had a very constricted magnitude of money disposable to usage this model truthful we decided to hold until nan summertime erstwhile there’s a batch much players disposable for perchance amended value.

“Our squad is OK. If it was a afloat fresh squad it would beryllium really beardown successful immoderate areas, but, of course, it’s not, truthful there’s a spot of an imbalance defensively.”

Pep Guardiola has said Newcastle are among six clubs who person to triumph nan Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup because their nett walk is bigger than City’s complete nan past 5 years, though he appeared to beryllium successful joke mode. Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool are besides up of City connected that list.

In January City bought Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guéhi for a full £82.5m. Guardiola was asked whether nan shot director, Hugo Viana, deserved peculiar in installments for nan signings.

“Yeah, really good,” said City’s manager. “I’m a small spot sad and upset because successful nett walk nan past 5 years we are seventh successful nan Premier League. I want to beryllium nan first; I don’t understand why nan nine doesn’t walk much money. I americium a small spot grumpy pinch them.

“But for illustration we won successful nan past because we spent a lot, now six teams person to triumph nan Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues and FA Cups because they spent much successful nan past 5 years. These are facts. It’s not an opinion. You tin opportunity an opinion, for illustration we play good aliases bad against Spurs – we tin work together aliases disagree. But they are facts. Good luck to nan six teams who are successful beforehand of america for nett walk for nan past 5 years. Let’s go. I’m waiting. That’s a bully quote, eh.”

In nan past 5 years United’s nett walk is £675m, Arsenal’s £663m, Chelsea’s £651m, Tottenham’s £574m, Newcastle’s £424m, Liverpool’s £420m, and City’s £396m, according to Transfermarkt.co.uk.

Rayan Cherki faces a precocious fittingness trial connected a sound received astatine Spurs.