"I think everything is perfect" - Sandro Tonali opens up on life at Newcastle United | OneFootball

"All my trophies; just the first trophy here in Newcastle, (a player of the match award) against Aston Villa, I left in my grandma Gina's house, because it was the first. It was a gift for her, and it was really important for me, because it was the first game and everything was different for me after the first game here in Newcastle.

"That Villa game was maybe one of the best moments here in Newcastle for me - top five. The trophy against Athletic Club, I put in my house. I like the trophy, it's really nice, and I want to put everything together in my house."

Among the Italy international midfielder's mementoes are his Carabao Cup final winners' medal from last season. "I have a mini (replica of the) trophy, too, a small trophy of the Carabao Cup," he adds.

"This is another top five moment with Newcastle, because it was important for me, for the team, for the fans. You know, the final was amazing, the stadium was amazing. One week after we had the parade here in Newcastle, and everything was magic.

"I think this is maybe one of the best moments here in Newcastle, for the team, with the fans and the families as well. Every time you win a trophy, you are magic for a small time, for two, three weeks. But here in Newcastle, you are magic now, and still after one year."

A few weeks after United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley in March to win their first domestic silverware in 70 years, Tonali married his long-term partner, Giulia, in Italy.

"Honestly, life is similar - we just wear rings," he smiles. "My wife is special; now it's seven years together. After two or three months, when I learned a little bit English, Giulia was my wife from from the start here in Newcastle.

"Not in Italy - in Italy, she was my girlfriend, but here in Newcastle, I called her every time 'wife', when I spoke with teammates, the gaffer or other people in Newcastle. It's normal for me call to her my wife - moglie in Italy - and I'm happy and we are happy together."

The pair are also expecting their first child - a boy - at the beginning of 2026. He will be born in England. "We know the name but it's a secret now, just for the next month," Tonali teases. "We have a baby shower after the international break, and maybe after this party we'll share the name for our boy.

"And we have a new entry before we have our boy: we have Wendy. Wendy is another French Bulldog (five-year-old Margot was already a much-loved member of the household). Now we are four. In January, we will be five in the house."

Tonali joined Newcastle from boyhood club AC Milan in the summer of 2023. He was banned from competitive football for ten months following illegal betting charges, but the club and supporters stood by him and, since his return in August 2024, he has proven himself as one of the best players in his position in the Premier League.

The supporters love him. How happy is he at Newcastle? "I'm really happy," he replies. "I try to live a very easy life. I'm happy with my family, my family is happy here, and so I think this is perfect for me, perfect for my football.

"I play very good football now, so I think everything is perfect now. I don't want to change anything for my life because everything is 100 per cent; everything is very well now and I think this is perfect for me and for my family."

Last month it emerged that the 25-year-old had signed an extension to his original five-year contract.

"My new contract I signed during the ban," he explains. "It was a little bit secret, but just for two years, not now! We spoke - me, my agent, the club - and decided to sign another year. The club appreciated that and we signed another contract for the future here."

Tonali's family is expanding and he wants his trophy collection to grow too. "Our goals are to play really well every game, win every game, play for three points every game, and another goal is the Carabao Cup," he says. "Sometimes it's easy if you win one trophy, but it's so difficult to have a back-to-back win. This is so difficult for every team in the world, so we will try everything to win this trophy again."