Arsenal have reportedly wasted no time in reviving their interest in Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali after lifting the Premier League trophy. The Gunners won the title for the first time in 22 years but are already planning how to strengthen their squad for the 2026/27 season.
Tonali's Desire for Champions League Football
Tonali first emerged as a target for Arsenal in the January transfer window when sporting director Andrea Berta was made aware of the possibility of signing him. The midfielder's own representative is understood to have reached out to Berta because Tonali is desperate to continue playing in the Champions League next season.
Newcastle finished 12th this season, their worst finish under Eddie Howe, and their £55 million signing from AC Milan in 2023 may not be willing to stay put, despite being under contract until June 2028. Back in January, Manchester City, Juventus and Chelsea were all credited with interest along with Arsenal - and it seems the Gunners are keen to steal a march on their rivals.
Resumed Contact with Agent
Italian outlet TuttoMercato reports that Arsenal have resumed contact with Tonali's agent Giuseppe Riso to try and establish the parameters of a deal. The Gunners want further depth in midfield, where Declan Rice has been over-worked after the injury to Mikel Merino. Myles Lewis-Skelly has been drafted into midfield in recent weeks, with Christian Norgaard not trusted to play important games and Martin Zubimendi's levels falling from those he set earlier in the campaign.
Agent's Previous Comments
Tonali's agent Riso openly spoke about the possibility of his client leaving back in February, telling Tuttosport: “Newcastle are having a hard time letting go of Sandro, and he wants to lead the club to the Champions League. We’ll evaluate and decide what to do in the summer. These transfer discussions will take place later. We’ll see how the season ends and then we’ll decide what to do.”
Tonali contributed three goals and seven assists in 53 appearances across all competitions for Newcastle this season. In February, Magpies boss Howe insisted that Tonali was “very happy” and said he would be surprised if he became unsettled.
Kroenke's Vision for the Summer
But Arsenal's pulling power, after winning the title - and even before competing in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain this weekend - is clear. Arsenal co-owner Josh Kroenke underlined the desire not to stand still after breaking a run of three successive second-place finishes with the title.
After handing over the trophy to his side at Selhurst Park on Sunday, he told NBC: “The business never stops. Right now there are already other teams who are trying to strengthen and come at us for next season. We need to be aware of that. We’ve already had a few different conversations about different areas where we think we can improve on and off the pitch. I am looking forward to getting that going this summer but it’s going to be an interesting one because of the World Cup but fortunately everyone is coming to the United States so I don’t have to travel.”
Arsenal's pursuit of Tonali signals their intent to add quality depth to a squad that has just ended a long title drought. With the Champions League final still to play, the Gunners are already looking ahead to ensure they remain competitive on all fronts.
