The Newcastle United midfielder has been linked with a move away from the club
There is still another month before Newcastle United gather for the start of pre-season training, but for Sandro Tonali, the time to make a decision on his future is fast approaching.
The Italian midfielder has been linked with a host of clubs since the January transfer window closed, and it was revealed last night that Newcastle had rejected an £80million offer from Tottenham Hotspur.
There is no doubt most elite sides would love to have him in their squad. He would improve any Premier League outfit, while talk of interest from the likes of Paris Saint-German and Real Madrid is hardly surprising given Tonali's talents.
Newcastle need to move players on, and while they do not want lose their midfield general, a hefty transfer fee would go a long way to ensuring they can fund a squad rebuild without having to concern themselves too much with financial rules.
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United have slapped a £100m price tag on Tonali, but so far no club has come close to that. Spurs' opening offer fell well short.
Arsenal, so keen to bring him to the Emirates earlier this year, are said to be reluctant to pay what Newcastle want and are looking elsewhere as Mikel Arteta aims to beef up his midfield.
Manchester City have made ex-Newcastle star Elliot Anderson their No 1 target, and with that deal likely to reach around the £130m mark, it's unlikely even they can afford to bring Tonali to the Etihad in the same window.
Real Madrid favour Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, which leaves Manchester United and this week's surprise interested party . . . Tottenham.
Even if we imagine either side could afford the transfer fee, the time has come for Tonali to lay his cards on the table and tell Newcastle he's happy to stay for another season at least.
Michael Carrick may have Man United on an upward trajectory, and as much as we would like to, it's hard to deny their standing on the global stage, but a move to Old Trafford would not yet be the step up anyone leaving Newcastle should be taking.
Anthony Gordon joined Barcelona . . . Tonali going to Man United would pale by comparison.
Spurs, as Alan Shearer pointed out, have stunk up the Premier League for the last two seasons, and while they have a beautiful stadium and a manager in Roberto De Zerbi who may well get them back on track, it remains a step down in many fans' eyes.
Tonali is not at the World Cup, so there is no reason for any delay on a move, other than the price - and that is not changing.
So rather than let the transfer saga drag on, he should put it to bed, for now at least.
Former Newcastle, Spurs and England winger Chris Waddle said as much this week in an interview via Andy's Bet Club
"I don't know why the player doesn't just come out and say, 'Look, I'm happy at Newcastle United, I'm just getting on with my football," he said. "If the club decide to sell me, then I obviously have to deal with that.' There are just too many rumours going around about so many players.
"Sometimes you need the player to come forward and say, 'Look, I'm at Newcastle United, I've got a three-year contract, and I'm very happy with my football. If the club decided they wanted to sell me, that would be up to them, but at the minute, I'm very happy.’ That’s all you need to say to stop all these rumours. When the player doesn't say anything, everybody just assumes they want to leave.
"I think players like Tonali should be man enough to come out and be honest, regardless of the club, whether it's Newcastle, Sunderland, or Manchester United. If you want to leave, just come forward and say, 'I want to go.' That’s all you need to say. Whether the fans react positively or negatively, at least you've been honest. Instead, we hear rumours every week about Tonali in particular.
"It’s ridiculous. Every week there’s a new club linked with Tonali, and you keep asking: how much would they have to pay? Why does the player never come forward and say, "Look, I've got a four-year contract and I'm happy; can you stop all these rumours?" That’s all you have to say.”
The time has come to make a decision - and with the current options, it's a no-brainer.