There’s no denying that before the transfer window started, few expected Sandro Tonali to play for Newcastle United next season.
One of those was Rafael Leão, a now former teammate of the Italian at AC Milan, who was on holiday when the deal for the midfielder went through.
The forward was asked about the now Newcastle midfielder in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, and couldn’t hold back his true feelings when speaking about Tonali’s exit.
He said: “I didn’t expect the farewell, but the club decided like that. It wasn’t easy, because Sandro is Milanista. He helped us win the Scudetto. He made his path at Milan. Now I wish him the best.”
Prior to make his move to Newcastle for an estimated €64m or so, the 23-year-old had spent the past five years at AC Milan, first on a two-year loan from Brescia before that was made permanent in 2021 for €14.5m.
During that time, Tonali made 130 appearances in all competitions for the Serie A side, scoring seven goals and assisting another 13, showing just how important he was for the side as he continued to develop into a player that caught the eye of Eddie Howe and his scouting staff.
