Isak is justifiably coveted by every leading team in Europe after scoring 21 goals this season but, make no mistake about it, Tonali is the player making the Premier League’s form team tick right now.
Barcelona were linked with him last month but, such is his potential, the precipitous price tag slapped on Isak should apply to Tonali too, not that Newcastle would entertain even world record offers for the Italy midfielder.
When they carried out those early, discreet San Siro scouting missions, none of them could quite believe that their overtures were being entertained by Tonali’s people, such was the potential they spied when he played in red and black.
It tells you a lot that their excitement at the signing – seen as a serious shot across the bows of European football’s elite – was not extinguished by his subsequent lengthy ban for gambling offences. Just you wait and see, they said about Tonali’s potential impact.
Why Newcastle teammates love Tonali
Take Wednesday’s impressive, thumping defeat of Crystal Palace. Tonali began the game sweeping up in front of Newcastle’s back four, dropping deep to combat Palace’s pace.
But when Oliver Glasner’s side ceded possession, it was Tonali who was making the rapier runs that Palace couldn’t deal with. His brilliant, crisp cross-field assist for Harvey Barnes’ third goal was especially eye-catching.
Barnes is on fire pic.twitter.com/hslKRkzCwR
“He’s exceptional on the ball whether it’s one touch or two touch, he always makes very good decisions, he’s very, very quick and reads the game extremely well.” And that’s before you add the fact that he’s now an increasing goal threat, prowling the edge of the penalty areas from set pieces.
“You see that he covers every blade of grass, he’s super composed on the ball and that frees up Bruno [Guimaraes] and Joelinton.
There’s some daft talk in Italy that Tonali might be heading back to Serie A soon but there’s no chance of that. Something is building on Tyneside and their midfield trio look destined to be part of it.
Let’s not get it twisted: Champions League football would be transformative for Newcastle given both the revenue implications and the ability to restock a squad that has barely been added to for 18 months.
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Having jumped up to third, Newcastle can take a mighty leap towards that goal by extending their winning run at Aston Villa on Saturday.
Unai Emery’s side are a different animal to Palace or the insipid Manchester United that Newcastle rolled over last weekend, but there is real momentum behind the Magpies right now. Anyone trying to stop them will have to stop Tonali first.
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