Sandro Tonali

[Renton 21603]

4 minutes ago, ewerk said:

It’s a nice thought but 100% wrong.

 

[ewerk 30594]

[Dr Gloom 21915]

1 hour ago, Alex said:

I don’t like to be knee jerk and I know foreign players can take a while to settle. But I’m not sure why we signed him / what he brings. We’re better when Longstaff plays and I suspect the same applies to a fit again Willock. I know we might look to play a different way in terms of formation. But Howe hasn’t shown much indication of wanting to do that 

I know what you mean. It didn’t take long to feel like a bit of a weird signing.

 

He’s obviously a class player but he doesn’t appear to complement Bruno on the evidence so far. And why would he leave his boyhood club for us? It felt like we got him for a good fee compared to other CM transfers last summer. Were Milan that broke that they had to sell to him to us? You don’t get the sense he was agitating for a move. 

I know what @Renton means too about the lack of impact the new signings have made. Barnes feels a bit of a weird one when Gordon has been the main man on the left. Then you have Joelinton, Willock and Anderson who can all play there. Would Diaby have been a better option given were relatively light on the right? Or Maddison to offer something completely different?

 

The Mexican DM who went to West Ham, who we were also linked with, might have made more sense than Tonali as he would have released Bruno to play further forwards.

Edited October 19, 2023 by Dr Gloom

[The Fish 10856]

6 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

I know what you mean. It didn’t take long to feel like a bit of a weird signing pretty early on.

 

He’s obviously a class player but he doesn’t appear to complement Bruno on the evidence so far. And why would he leave his boyhood club for us? It felt like we got him for a good fee compared to other CM transfers last summer. Were Milan that broke that they had to sell to him to us? You don’t get the sense he was agitating for a move. 

I know what @Renton means too about the lack of impact the new signings have made. Barnes feels a bit of a weird one when Gordon has been the main man on the left. Then you have Joelinton, Willock and Anderson who can all play there. Would Diaby have been a better option given were relatively light on the right? Or Maddison to offer something completely different?

 

The Mexican DM who went to West Ham, who we were also linked with, might have made more sense than Tonali as he would have released Bruno to play further forwards.

 

To be honest I don't have any expectations of signings being an instant impact any more. Isak, Gordon, Bruno all took time to find their feet. Hall and Livramento are both clearly bought for the future, (Minteh and Kuol even further down the line). 

 

Barnes and Tonalie were, I think, intended to be slowly brought into the first team. Unfortunately because of injuries to particular players, they've been introduced ahead of schedule. 

[Dr Gloom 21915]

16 minutes ago, ewerk said:

It’s a nice thought but 100% wrong.

 

[OTF 7295]

3 minutes ago, ewerk said:

It’s a nice thought but 100% wrong.

 

I know there's no existing provisions for this within FFP, but surely there would be grounds to appeal based upon whether he has committed any crime whilst being a Newcastle player? It's not comparable to an injury preventing him from playing as it did not occur whilst playing for us.

 

If we were to pursue Milan based on the likelihood that they had some knowledge of this, then any compensatory damages would at least be removed from the amortisation ledger reducing the yearly allocation. Likewise any penalties (fines or reductions in wages) could shave a little more off.

 

Like the rest of us I'd really like to know what the crimes he has committed are, and whether there's any precedent based on cases here (Toney's being the most prominent). If he has bet on football then he will have broken FA gambling rules and at best will be subject to their penalties which from the sounds of things will be less punitive than the Italian laws.

 

[Rayvin 5217]

I reckon if it's up to a year we just take the hit and crack on. If he really is meant to be some sort of Bruno replacement that we seized upon because he was cheap then it might all more or less work out anyway. My concern would be that he starts agitating for a move back to Milan as soon as his ban is over but I suppose we have to hope this isn't as 'managed' a situation on their end as this appears.

 

The Athletic article suggests Howe is firmly behind him at the moment so hopefully there's no disharmony about it,

[Alex 35077]

23 minutes ago, ewerk said:

Alreet, Jordan 

[Gemmill 44846]

Didn't take long for the Brexit crew on here to turn on the Italian lad did it? Waving your little union jacks.

[Alex 35077]

I wonder if there’s a Tonali-sized deal with Saudia incoming 

[Ayatollah Hermione 13863]

With regards to the first XI being similar to last year, think it’s important to remember we have a fit Isak this time and Gordon is twice the player he was last season. Both of those make a massive difference IMO

[PaddockLad 17245]

8 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Didn't take long for the Brexit crew on here to turn on the Italian lad did it? Waving your little union jacks.

There’s none so blind as those who will not see

[Gemmill 44846]

2 minutes ago, PaddockLad said:

There’s none so blind as those who will not see

 

THAT is what I see!

[PaddockLad 17245]

4 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

 

THAT is what I see!

 

 

[Renton 21603]

18 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Didn't take long for the Brexit crew on here to turn on the Italian lad did it? Waving your little union jacks.

 

Well he deserves the stereotype tropes imo.

 

[wykikitoon 20129]

Remember when Longy was Ciggy

 

[wykikitoon 20129]

IMO I thought Toenail was actually starting to improve and looked more settled.

[The Fish 10856]

30 minutes ago, Ayatollah Hermione said:

With regards to the first XI being similar to last year, think it’s important to remember we have a fit Isak this time and Gordon is twice the player he was last season. Both of those make a massive difference IMO

Also we have greater depth at fullback. We're not relying on Manquillo, Krafth or Murphy at rightback if Trippier gets injured/suspended.

[Renton 21603]

You know when you need medical insurance, you have to declare any pre-existing conditions? And if something comes up which you had ticked no to, your insurance is invalid? Given the sums involved, I'm amazed this wasn't part of the paperwork? Surely there has be some come back from Milan on this. 

[wykikitoon 20129]

[David Kelly 1244]

1 hour ago, The Fish said:

 

To be honest I don't have any expectations of signings being an instant impact any more. Isak, Gordon, Bruno all took time to find their feet. Hall and Livramento are both clearly bought for the future, (Minteh and Kuol even further down the line). 

 

Barnes and Tonalie were, I think, intended to be slowly brought into the first team. Unfortunately because of injuries to particular players, they've been introduced ahead of schedule. 

That the Bruno who scored that back heel volley against Southampton on his full debut and the Isak who scored within minutes of his first game away to Liverpool?

 

I get what you're saying and I do think it applies to Tonali and Hall but not sure using those two examples works.

 

With regards to Tonali, from what I'm reading it's sounding more and more likely that the Juve player was that fucked with debt from gambling he was desperate for a way out and coming clean about it was that for him.  Before he grassed up Tonali there doesn't appear to have been any investigation into him.  So I think those who are suggesting Milan knew or that we can get some money back on him are in dreamland.  We're just going to have to put on our big boy pants and suck it up.  A loan move in January, particularly if we're still in Europe and challenging for the top four, seems a good bet.  But more immediately, it's fortunate Willock appears to be nearing a return and Anderson is starting to look more and more like he can compete for a starting position.  

[PaddockLad 17245]

In what world do NUFC prise the future captain of AC Milan who grew up supporting the club from their clutches? And for 55 million when players in the same position went for nearly twice that in the same window? It was a very, very unlikely transfer whatever way you look at it

[Gemmill 44846]

The same world in which they prised one of the best striking talents in Europe from Real Sociedad for 60 million and one of the best midfielders in the world from Lyon for 30-odd million.

 

And the prevailing view at the time was that we had overpaid for Tonali, not got a 55 million quid bargain.

 

You've gone full QAnon here, ROBERT.

 

 

[The Fish 10856]

5 minutes ago, David Kelly said:

That the Bruno who scored that back heel volley against Southampton on his full debut and the Isak who scored within minutes of his first game away to Liverpool?

 

I get what you're saying and I do think it applies to Tonali and Hall but not sure using those two examples works.

 

With regards to Tonali, from what I'm reading it's sounding more and more likely that the Juve player was that fucked with debt from gambling he was desperate for a way out and coming clean about it was that for him.  Before he grassed up Tonali there doesn't appear to have been any investigation into him.  So I think those who are suggesting Milan knew or that we can get some money back on him are in dreamland.  We're just going to have to put on our big boy pants and suck it up.  A loan move in January, particularly if we're still in Europe and challenging for the top four, seems a good bet.  But more immediately, it's fortunate Willock appears to be nearing a return and Anderson is starting to look more and more like he can compete for a starting position.  

Aye it is the same Bruno who went 5 games without starting, playing a sum total of 44 minutes in those games. Five minutes across his first 3 games. 

And Isak who didn't play at all until his debut against Liverpool and was only in for that game because Wilson was injured.

 

Those examples work fine, you dink.

 

 

[PaddockLad 17245]

6 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

The same world in which they prised one of the best striking talents in Europe from Real Sociedad for 60 million and one of the best midfielders in the world from Lyon for 30-odd million.

 

And the prevailing view at the time was that we had overpaid for Tonali, not got a 55 million quid bargain.

 

You've gone full QAnon here, ROBERT.

 

 

I’ve not, I just think its all too much of a coincidence. And comparing Lyon and Real Sociedad as being on a level playing field with Milan is just silly. Sure they may have needed the money. Still doesn’t explain selling Tonali to a provincial English club who haven’t won a title in nearly 100 years. No amount of money brings a prince of the Italian game here at the age of 22 with his entire career in front  of him 🤷🏻‍♂️