Why Newcastle want to sign “exceptional” £17m star

This summer transfer window has been a disaster for all those associated with Newcastle United, with the club missing out on countless transfer targets to other Premier League clubs.

Eddie Howe has no doubt wanted to improve his squad after finishing 12th in England’s top-flight, but so far, he’s had to see his number one targets move elsewhere.

Víctor Muñoz and Johan Manzambi are two players who have already completed moves to other English sides, whilst James Trafford appears to be edging closer to a move to join Leeds United.

However, Howe has also had to deal with key players departing St James’ Park, with the manager facing a huge task to replace one player this summer.

How Newcastle could suffer without Sandro Tonali in 2026/27

After finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table last term, Newcastle fans will have been worried about losing some of their key talents in the summer transfer window.

Their greatest fears have come to fruition in recent weeks, as star midfielder Sandro Tonali has completed a £100m deal to join fellow Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur.

The Italian made himself a key part of Howe’s plans on Tyneside after joining from AC Milan in 2023, subsequently featuring in all but three league games last term.

His quality at both ends of the pitch will be a huge miss for the Magpies, as the 26-year-old managed to create the second most chances for Howe’s side last campaign.

Tonali also completed the most dribbles of any player in the Magpies’ senior ranks, whilst also making the most ball recoveries per 90 – subsequently highlighting his box-to-box nature.

Without the ball, he made 9.3 defensive contributions per 90, the second highest on Tyneside, subsequently making him one of the manager’s most important talents.

How Howe can land his next version of Tonali this summer

Despite the added departures from Newcastle this summer, the hierarchy have already made multiple additions this window – with two players arriving to bolster the midfield department.

Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur have recently arrived from Monaco and Ajax respectively, with the young duo costing the Magpies a combined £60m this summer.

However, there’s no denying the manager will demand added reinforcements before the window closes, which could see Fikayo Tomori be the latest player to move to Tyneside.

Journalist Sebastien Vidal has provided the latest on the Magpies’ hunt for the centre-back, claiming that an offer has been submitted for the Englishman.

He also claims that AC Milan are open to offloading the 28-year-old ahead of the upcoming campaign, but are demanding at least €20m (£17m) before approving a sale.

He’s a player who has constantly appeared on the club’s transfer radar over recent years, but it appears the hierarchy are finally making a move to secure his services.

Tomori may operate in a different position to Tonali, but he could emulate the Italian in moving to St James’ from AC Milan and hoping to kickstart a new era after a period of uncertainty off the pitch.

His stats from the recent campaign in Serie A highlight the quality he possesses, which could see him play a key role in Howe’s defensive unit throughout 2026/27 and beyond.

The 28-year-old made an impressive tally of 2.3 tackles per 90 in Italy’s top-flight last season, which was more than any other centre-back within Howe’s squad.

It also placed the Englishman in the top 15% of all defenders within Europe’s top-five leagues – subsequently highlighting his tremendous ability to prevent the opposition from causing danger.

Tomori achieved a 53% aerial duel success rate, which could offer Howe’s men an added dominant force in the air – alongside the likes of Dan Burn and Malick Thiaw.

However, his biggest asset could be his ability on the ball, which could make him an excellent addition to Howe’s system which often sees his side build from the back.

He managed to achieve an impressive tally of 91% passes completed in Italy’s top-division last term – leading to writer Henry Winter labelling the centre-back as “exceptional.”

Today’s market has seen prices massively inflate over recent seasons, which has led to mammoth sums being splashed to land top-level talents across the pitch.

However, Tomori could prove to be a phenomenal addition at just £17m, with the defender having key experience in the Premier League from his time at Chelsea.

Should he get anywhere near the levels produced by Tonali at St James’ Park, there’s no reason why he can’t be a fan favourite and lead the side back up the division next season.

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