Sandro Tonali has confirmed he was keen to depart Newcastle United in search of a new challenge - but insists he has left St James' Park on the best of terms. Tonali made his desire to move on from Newcastle crystal clear before the Magpies held firm for a staggering £100million fee from Tottenham Hotspur.
The Magpies were reluctant to do business with Spurs, yet Tonali made the remarkable assertion that Newcastle had his best interests at heart while also securing a sizeable windfall. Speaking to assembled television journalists on his way out of the airport in Milan, Tonali was asked whether he was satisfied with the deal: "Absolutely. We've decided to make a change, so we're ready for this new adventure."
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He went on to say: "Newcastle wanted the best for me and we wanted the best deal for them. So I think that once you go like this it is different, so we are all happy and I am ready for the new challenge."
When quizzed on his reasons for choosing Spurs, Tonali replied: "Let's say Roberto De Zerbi had a big percentage in this, and for a life choice, we come from Newcastle and our lives change with our child's birth. So we decided to change a bit. De Zerbi made a great difference and did the job very well."
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Newcastle were informed of Tonali's wish to seek pastures new through his agent Giuseppe Riso earlier this month, with several clubs approached regarding a potential transfer, among them Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham.
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Ultimately, Spurs emerged as his destination, as they were the sole club to satisfy all requirements regarding transfer fee, agent costs and his £275,000-per-week salary.
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Tonali also made clear that a return to Italian football with a Serie A club during this window was never a realistic possibility, despite 2026 speculation linking him with AC Milan and Juventus.
He said: "It's always been very difficult. We've talked, but this opportunity has never arisen."
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He also quipped that he would one day welcome the chance to pull on the Milan shirt once more - the club for whom Newcastle shelled out £55m to acquire his signature back in 2023.
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