David Ornstein: Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta had talks with Sandro Tonali’s agent but deal wasn’t feasible | OneFootball

Arsenal were linked with a winter transfer deadline day move for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali following a long-term injury to Mikel Merino.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was open to bringing in a midfielder to the Emirates Stadium club and the Gunners were said to be keen on the Magpies star.

However, The Athletic journalist David Ornstein has revealed that while someone from Tonali’s camp got in touch with Arsenal, a deal was never on the cards.

“A complicated one. Unless you are fully on the inside, you don’t know the exact ins and outs of it all,” he said on Sky Sports.

“Arsenal have had an admiration of Tonali for a long time, dating back years. A few of us had reported on it.

“Arsenal had the injury to Mikel Merino coming into the deadline. There was a possibility they would move in the market for potential cover.

“I don’t think anyone thought Sandro Tonali would be on the agenda, with good reason. There was never any chance of him leaving Newcastle.

“We established across the course of the day that there were absolutely no talks between Newcastle and Arsenal. No club-to-club contact at all.

“But a representative of Sandro Tonali, and there is some conjecture about how many people represent him, reached out to Arsenal and their sporting director Andrea Berta and offered the player to the club.

“And for Berta, it’s his job to explore these situations and look into viability with the agent. And it became clear very quickly that there was no viability.

“Newcastle had no intention of opening any doors to Tonali leaving either now or in the future. If they did, the price would be way too high for Arsenal’s capabilities at this moment in time.

“Complete perplexion at Newcastle. They had no talks, no contact, no communication and no intent of letting him go. I don’t think it was ever on to be off.”

The Gunners did not sign a midfielder at the end of the day, but Tonali is reportedly on their radar ahead of the summer transfer window.

Arteta is a fan of the Italian and wants to pair him with Declan Rice in the middle of the park as Arsenal look to establish themselves as regular Premier League champions.

However, Newcastle are expected to demand at least £100 million for Tonali should they become open to selling him at the end of the season.

The North London club will make do with their current options in midfield and hope Merino returns sooner rather than later given his huge impact.

They are six points clear at the top of the table ahead of the final 14 league fixtures of the season and will fancy their chances of winning the title.