Italy coach Roberto Mancini was both regretful and happy when his student Sandro Tonali moved from AC Milan to Newcastle.
"On the one hand, I have a little regret that a young and good player like Tonali is leaving Italy, which means there will be some problems," Mancini told Sky Sports Italia on June 24. "But technically, playing in the Premier League will be useful for him."
Newcastle are set to announce Tonali as their first signing of the 2023 summer transfer window. The English club will pay $75 million to sign the 23-year-old midfielder from AC Milan.
Tonali (No. 8) plays in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final between AC Milan and Inter on May 10. Photo: Reuters
Tonali was once considered a copy of Andrea Pirlo, the famous player who won the 2006 World Cup, six Serie A titles and two Champions Leagues. Some opinions even rate Tonali higher than Pirlo in terms of hard work. According to the British newspaper Daily Mail , the new Italian player can play an important role in providing energy for Newcastle's attacking players.
Tonali grew up at Brescia. In the 2018-2019 season, he helped Brescia win Serie B and the right to be promoted to Serie A. Tonali played for AC Milan from the 2020-2021 season. In the past three seasons, he played 130 matches, scored seven goals and helped AC Milan win Serie A 2021-2022. In the 2022-2023 season, the red and black striped team reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Tonali played for Italy since 2019, but missed out on Euro 2021. The 23-year-old midfielder started playing more for the team a year later.
Coach Mancini (on the field) watches Tonali (No. 20) block the ball from Harry Kane during Italy's 1-2 loss to England at home in the Euro 2024 qualifiers on March 23.
Coach Mancini has won 13 titles with five clubs. He won five Serie A titles with Inter Milan and the 2011-2012 Premier League with Man City. In 2021, he helped Italy win the Euro after a 53-year wait.
Last season, Newcastle finished fourth in the Premier League and qualified for next season's Champions League. The St James' Park team wants to improve their squad to win titles. In addition to Tonali, Newcastle is also targeting James Maddison, Marc Guehi, Sadio Mane and Antonee Robinson.
Thanh Quy (according to Sky Sports )
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