Eddie Howe made a very bold prediction about Sandro Tonali on the day he signed for Newcastle United. Fortunately, his prediction has come true.
It is two years since Sandro Tonali became a Newcastle United player. He joined the Magpies for £55million from AC Milan in 2023, becoming Newcastle’s second most expensive player ever behind Alexander Isak.
Signing him was a statement of intent. On the back of qualifying for the Champions League, Newcastle United had snapped up an immensely talented midfielder from a European powerhouse.
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What Eddie Howe said on the day Newcastle United signed Sandro Tonali
On 3rd July 2023, Newcastle United confirmed that they had bought Tonali from AC Milan, with the midfield maestro signing a five-year deal at St James’ Park.
As part of the announcement, Eddie Howe told Newcastle United’s official website: “I’m delighted to welcome Sandro to Newcastle United. He is an exceptional talent and has the mentality, physicality and technical attributes to be a great fit for us.
“At 23, Sandro already has important experience as a key player in one of Europe’s top leagues and in the Champions League, as well as playing for his country.
“But he also has the opportunity and potential to grow and evolve with us, and I’m excited to add him to our squad as we approach the exciting season ahead.”
Eddie Howe was right about Sandro Tonali, but it took longer than expected
Two years on, Tonali has proven to be the ‘great fit’ that the Newcastle United manager thought he would be at St James’ Park. However, it took a little bit longer than anticipated.
That is because Tonali’s world was rocked just months after arriving at Newcastle United. In October 2023, He was hit with a 10-month ban from FIFA for breaching betting regulations. He was not allowed to play for his new club in any capacity, or represent his country.
All Tonali could do was train, as Howe and the rest of the Newcastle United coaches set about ensuring that he was in the best possible condition for when he was available to return.
That return came in August 2024 when Newcastle faced Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup. Tonali was thrust back into the starting XI and immediately made up for lost time. It was a wonderful performance from a player who had initially struggled in black and white before his suspension.
Finally, Tonali was back. However, it would still take a few more months for Howe’s prediction to properly come true. That happened when the Italy international’s position changed.
On 30th October 2024, Newcastle beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, with Tonali starting in the middle of the Magpies’ midfield three. Operating as the ‘six’, Geordie Boot Boys described it as Tonali’s best Newcastle performance at the time.
The 25-year-old looked so much more comfortable, sitting in front of the defence and breaking up play, dictating the game with his supreme technical talent.
That eventually became his permanent position in the Newcastle United starting XI, and Tonali has not looked back. The decision to change his position has been transformative, revolutionising the way that the Magpies play.
Tonali replaced Bruno Guimaraes, and the change has benefitted both players. The former keeps it simple, and has the running power to put out fires anywhere on the pitch. Bruno is more of a risk taker, and now gets to take those risks higher up the pitch in more dangerous areas.
Physically, Tonali is a beast. The amount of running he does is frightening. Technically, he borders on perfection with every touch. Mentally, he is a winner and a fighter, showing incredible resilience to bounce back after his suspension.
Those factors were a key reason why Howe wanted Tonali in his team, and what a decision it has proven to be.
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