Newcastle are suddenly under pressure to avoid Alexander Isak repeat, PIF must reward ‘beast’

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Having seen Alexander Isak’s Newcastle United career end in tears, PIF will be desperate to avoid a repeat.

It was the saga that dominated the summer, but it finally came to an end on transfer deadline day. Alexander Isak joined Liverpool for £125million, becoming the most expensive player in British football history.

Isak’s discontent at Newcastle all stemmed from a contract promise. Amanda Staveley told him he would get a pay rise, only for Paul Mitchell to reverse that decision.

What followed was an uncomfortable summer that saw Isak totally tarnish his Toon reputation. It ultimately forced PIF to cash in, having spent the entire summer insisting that the 25-year-old was not for sale.

Newcastle United must tie down Sandro Tonali as Juventus rumours resurface

The Newcastle United owners will have learned some valuable lessons from the Isak debacle, and will be desperate to ensure they are not put in that position again.

Amid that desperation, attention needs to turn towards keeping Sandro Tonali at St James’ Park. He is Eddie Howe’s most important player, as rumours over a move back to Italy resurface.

According to Calciomercato, Juventus are still dreaming of signing Tonali from Newcastle United, and could revisit the midfielder in 2026.

They report that Juventus will be in a position to match his wage demands next summer, as their highest earner Dusan Vlahovic will have left the club by then.

Throughout the entirety of his Newcastle United career, Tonali has been linked with a move back to Italy. That is despite the fact the 25-year-old has never expressed any discontent over life at St James’ Park.

Regardless, Newcastle need to protect their asset. That means giving him a new contract, which is what they failed to do with Isak.

Fortunately, Newcastle plan to offer Tonali a new deal. Hopefully those negotiations go smoothly, with the Italy international’s current deal running until 2028.

• Who is Sandro Tonali? Say salve to Newcastle United’s Italian midfield maestro

What Sandro Tonali has said about living in Newcastle

Despite relentless speculation over a Serie A return, Tonali made it very clear in January that he is extremely happy at St James’ Park.

“I’m happy where I am now,” he told Sky Italia.

“I’ve found people who care about me, and I care about them. I don’t want to break any of the bonds I’ve built.

“I’ve had a lot of thoughts every day, but right now, I’m happy where I am.”

Tonali loves it at Newcastle United, and Newcastle United love Tonali. He is absolutely idolised by the Toon Army, and there is a really beautiful bond between the fans and the player.

He is loved within the Newcastle United dressing room too. The midfield maestro is an absolute machine on the pitch, with Leo Shahar describing Tonali as a ‘beast’.

That is the only way you can describe Tonali given the power he possesses. He is a juggernaut in the Newcastle United engine room, and it is vital he gets a new contract that reflects his importance.