Newcastle INSTANTLY DISMISS ambitious reports of Arsenal move for classy £60m Toon hero | OneFootball

Reports that Arsenal are in talks with Newcastle over a staggering move to sign Sandro Tonali have been emphatically rubbished, though sources insist there may be more to the links than meets the eye, while it has also been confirmed that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is in the market for a new signing on deadline day.

The classy midfielder is regarded as a vital cog in the Newcastle side, having joined in a £60m (€70m, $82m) move from AC Milan in summer 2023, making him the most expensive Italian footballer of all time. While all has not gone to plan for Tonali since his move to England – he was forced to sit out 10 months of football owing to his involvement in illegal betting activity – he has since proved his worth with a series of impressive displays.

Now, having made 91 appearances for the Magpies, scoring seven times, Tonali has proved himself one of the best all-round midfielders in the Premier League, illustrating the form that persuaded Newcastle to fork out such a hefty fee for his services in the first place.

Such has been Tonali’s form that he has never been short of admirers. Sources have revealed Juventus have a long-standing desire to bring him back to Serie A, while Liverpool have also been linked with a move on more than one occasion as Arne Slot looks to find upgrades to his squad.

However, Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg revealed on Monday morning that Arsenal are exploring a deal to sign the 25-year-old and bring him to Emirates Stadium in a stunning deadline day move.

And while Plettenberg was keen to stress that there is no green light from Newcastle, he was adamant that Arsenal had held talks over a prospective transfer ‘over the last few hours’.

Our transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher has also confirmed the Gunners’ interest in signing Tonali is genuine and while Arsenal have not had contact with Newcastle, talks have been held with the player’s representatives.

And in response to that speculation, the Chronicle’s Newcastle United correspondent, Lee Ryder, stated: ‘It’s understood that Newcastle have instantly dismissed any suggestions of Arsenal and Sandro Tonali. No contact whatsoever, I’m told.’

In a follow-on tweet on X, he added: ‘Newcastle have Sandro Tonali contracted until 2029 + a year option. It would take a sensational bid to lure him away. And as mentioned previously, there has been “no contact” from Arsenal.’

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Arsenal ARE in market for a deadline day signing – Ornstein

Despite that, Arsenal are looking into a surprise late transfer window raid, according to David Ornstein, after seeing versatile star Mikel Merino ruled out for a lengthy period of time after sustaining a broken bone in his foot.

Per the Athletic journalist, Arsenal are now ‘surveying the market’ for a potential loan as short-term cover, though he readily admits there are ‘no guarantees of anything materialising at this stage’.

Ornstein also explains that the length of time that Merino faces on the sidelines has yet to be determined and could influence Arsenal’s thinking.

In light of that, an Arsenal expert has confirmed the Gunners should look no further than their own star man when looking towards a replacement.

Arsenal ready to sell 2025 summer signing; Newcastle target Spain int’l winger

Meanwhile, Arsenal are preparing to part ways with Christian Norgaard and could rival Manchester United for a replacement from the Bundesliga come the summer, according to reports.

Elsewhere, shock reports from Spain claim that Arsenal are ready to go toe-to-toe with Liverpool, amongst other Premier League clubs, when it comes to securing the signing of an elite Real Madrid star considered an upgrade on summer signing Martin Zubimendi.