Sandro Tonali is officially a former Milan player, and he will play at Newcastle next season.
The moment has come, and it has arrived much sooner than many people – including the player himself – probably thought it would: Tonali has left Milan.
The deal with Newcastle has been agreed for weeks, but only today (Monday) all the details were completed and the official statement arrived:
“Milan announces the sale of Sandro Tonali to Newcastle United FC. The Club thanks the midfielder for the three splendid years together and wishes him the very best in his professional and personal future,” the club wrote on its website.
Tonali signed a contract with the Premier League outfit until 2028. It is reported that Newcastle agreed to pay around €80m including bonuses for Tonali.
After the official announcement, Sandro who has become the most expensive Italian player in history, and the biggest sale in the history of the Rossoneri, wrote a goodbye message to Milan:
“Today I find myself here with a mix of emotions in my heart. As you know, I have decided to embark on a new adventure and a new challenge. I start with a thank you to the club that welcomed me and gave me the opportunity to be part of this extraordinary club, which for me is and will always remain my home.
“I thank those who made me wear the colours of the team of my heart and who managed with availability the situation over the last few weeks. I learned a lot during these three years and I found a football family among the club, the teammates and the technical staff, who supported and guided me in my path. It is thanks to you that I have improved as a footballer and as a man.
“I understand that this goodbye can arouse mixed emotions and it is normal to feel this way when you leave a big piece of your heart, but it is important to remember that in football, as well as in life, changes sometimes are a reason for everyone’s growth. Now I want to thank my people: you who, like me, carry in your hearts the red and black colours. I will never forget the chants of Curva Sud, the 19th Scudetto, all the wonderful moments shared together and the love for our Milan.
“I wish you all, the club and fans, the best for the future and I am sure you will still do great things together. A warm embrace, with the hope that it is not a farewell, but a goodbye.
“Forza Milan. Sandro.”
Well, this is the way modern football is run now. Clubs that do not have humongous money to spend, needs to sell their best assets and then hopefully reinvest. It is also true that there are no longer one-club-for-life player, that era is gone. Some of us that are getting old find these new trends difficult to accept but it is the reality of the modern game. So, good bye and good luck to Tonali. Next season, 2 more of our best players may follow him. This trend will continue until we build our own stadium and making more profits… Read more »
Strange but this is: win-win-win situation for everyone
Win-win-win situation? Right now is more like lose-lose. Why? Selling your symbol, a future captain and one of most talented Italian midfielders who was on 2.5 millions per season just to pay 21 millions and give 4 millions a season to an injury prone bench player and waste non-EU spot. What a win that is.
With this money, Milan will strengthen in several positions, Sandro will experience a much higher quality league, which will improve him even more, and Newcastle will have an excellent player who will be of crucial importance
The mistakes with Kessie, Donnarumma, Romagnoli, Calhanoglu etc..will not be repeated. This is the way to create a successful project!
Again – Selling your symbol, a future captain and one of most talented Italian midfielders who was on 2.5 millions per season just to pay 21 millions and give 4 millions a season to an injury prone bench player and waste non-EU spot.
That kind of project?
Think if Tonali would have continued to play with the same motive in the next season? Bro the love for the club is not enough for a player to be happy in this day and age when all footballers are paid fat…everyone is for sale when they are paid double of their real worth and that has always been the case even in Milan’s golden days . Players of the type of Maldini, Baresi, Totti, etc. are no more in this crazy time
And that precisely was Maldini’s job, to bring a guy like Leao, Theo, Tonalli to this mess of a team, underpay them and keep morale high. Now we are going into the mercato with our pockets full of cash, without Maldini holding the negotiations, this will be a disaster, to say the least. So according to you, it’s OK if Leao leaves because we now magically have the money to build a new team. We reached Semis without a 10 for fucks sakes! With Krunic as a 5 and Messias playing every match. On those conditions no one had to… Read more »
I completely understand you and I understand your nervousness, but we have to accept that currently with these financial rules and with limited inflow, there is no other choice but to sell at high prices. How do you think Napoli created the team?
Bro, I’ve been following the news of this team for the last 15 years, daily. What are you talking about, Gazidis put a salary cap and Maldini managed to win Serie A when the owners gave the budget and expected top 5. Facts are there for you to do your research. The Elliot management saved the club, built the youngest team in Europe and in a few years they won the league and reached the semis of CL. Pockets are full of cash, Fans broke all records last two seasons in terms of assistance. So what’s the excuse? This is… Read more »
echo your sentiment. Us ,old guys, still romanticize those one club guys.that’s no longer the case, even with rich clubs. See Mason Mount (an academy guy, chelsea fan etc) leave or RLC for that matter is telling. and that’s chelsea who are spending like crazy.
Good luck to Sandro, he will always be remembered as part of the scudetto team. Hopefully whoever we get works out.
Serie A need more De Laurentiis and Lolitos.
Averages stats per game: Loftus 0.9 Tackles 0.4 Interceptions 0.6 Fouls 0.5 Clearances 0.1 Blocks 0.7 Key Passes 0.9 Shots 1.4 Bad touch Meanwhile here are Sandro’s stats: 1.5 Tackles 0.8 Interceptions 1 Foul 0.7 Clearances 0.3 Blocks 1.4 Key Passes 0.8 Shots 1.1 Bad touch Krunic’s Stats: 1.3 Tackles 0.7 Interceptions 0.9 Fouls 0.7 Clearances 0.2 Blocks 0.7 Key Passes 0.8 Shots 1.1 Bad Touch According to Big Data, Krunic is better than Loftus-Cheek. Krunic gets 2.7 Loftus 4. Maldini paid 8.6m and gave him 2.8m per season. Cardinale pays 20 and gave Loftus a 4m per season. So,… Read more »
Amen!
Guess what shirt number RLC has chosen.
Let’s give more perspective to this turd. Tonali cost us €10m to loan and AC Milan had an option to buy him out for €15m plus €10m bonuses. However, they managed to successfully renegotiate the terms of the deal and lowered the €15m + €10m to €7m + €3m + Primavera’s Giacomo Olzer. So, that’s €30m, and Cardinale sold him for €80m. That’s €50m in capital gain. It’s not official, but according to sources, Milan paid €16m + €4m in bonuses to sign Loftus-Cheek. His wage is rumored to be €4m per season. This means that Cardinale already spent half… Read more »
you forgot amortization. tonali was here for years. not sure how long was his contract, but players like car or other equipment is getting amortization for accounting purposes. the point is cardinale made more than 50 mil profit.