Newcastle are pushing to complete a £55million deal for Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali.
The Italy U21 star has been offered the chance to treble his wage to £150,000 a week at St James’ Park. Sporting director Dan Ashworth is in Milan hoping to agree a fee with the Serie A giants, after talks with Tonali’s intermediaries last week.
He would become the second most expensive signing in the club’s history behind Alexander Isak. Newcastle looked at Nicolo Barella last week but have moved on to Tonali.
The 23-year-old is high on Eddie Howe’s list of targets, in their priority deep sitting midfield position. Newcastle are also in for James Maddison but won’t pay Leicester ’s price of £60m, and are interested in Scott McTominay, but not at £30m-plus.
After returning to the Champions League for the first time in almost 20 years, Howe insisted the Magpies would be on the lookout for "elite" players in the window. “Our strategy last summer was to try and find quality players for the positions that we needed not to bring in a host of players who don’t necessarily improve our starting XI or squad," he explained.
“I don’t think our strategy will change. We want elite players because we have an elite squad. If we do add anyone in they have to be better than the players we have.”
Tonali has reportedly said he is open to the move, despite previously suggesting he wanted to remain at the San Siro for years to come. “It is certain that I want to stay here, contract after contract,” he said last year.
“It would be nice to become a flag [waved at the stadium] but I don’t look so much further out of luck.
"I am so attached to these [red and black] colours that I know that my extension will never be a problem, it is right that the club thinks first of my expiring teammates than of me: I already have an agreement for another four years. I want to be the least of my thoughts.”
Ashworth meanwhile, has been clear in the direction he wants the club to take - signing young players who can increase their value whilst simultaneously improving the squad.
He said in January: "We're clear what we want to do in the summer, if the right player comes along and the right opportunity then of course we will look at it. The second part of the club's strategy is looking at more emerging talent and younger players that sit outside of the 25-man squad.
"Once again, if the right player comes along, we've just signed Garang Kuol for example – an 18-year-old – so we're always looking for those sorts of players as well to add to our depth of talent that we have at the club.”
