Arsenal's desire to sign Sandro Tonali in the final hours of the transfer window set the Premier League abuzz. The league leaders failed to convince Newcastle, where the midfielder is under contract until 2029. Giuseppe Riso, the player's agent, himself denied the rumor. " Newcastle will not let Sandro leave in January, and we have never discussed this with Arsenal. We will assess in March whether Newcastle is open to any offer, but for now, he is playing in the Champions League; it's not the right time to talk about it ." Eddie Howe then commented on the Gunners' attempt and assessed the Italian's level of commitment.
According to the Magpies manager, he won't be unsettled. " I don't think so, but a lot of things happen behind my back. As far as I know, we have a player who is an exceptional footballer and an exceptional person. He's very happy here; he has excellent relationships with me and his teammates and me, and he seems truly thriving. " So there's no reason to have any doubts about the coming weeks. " It would surprise me, but our best players will always attract the attention of other clubs. That's the reality of football. We want to maintain the cohesion of our group, we want to progress, and Sandro contributes to that. Overall, I don't see any problems, but I can't control everything ."