Newcastle United need to avoid putting pressure on summer signing Sandro Tonali as he needs time to settle at the club.
That’s according to journalist Andrea Locorotondo, who believes Newcastle’s busy schedule thanks to Champions League football has proved to be a hindrance to the Italian.
Tonali arrived at Newcastle in a €64m deal in one of the more impressive deals of the summer transfer window.
He had firmly established himself as one of the stars of the show at AC Milan during his three years there, overcoming early struggles to prove his worth.
Tonali particularly shone in their run to the Champions League semi-finals last season, and it was that which presumably led Newcastle to make him their big money signing of the summer as they prepared for a season back in the competition.
Those hopes need to be held back according to Locorotondo, who believes it will take time before Tonali is really at his best for Newcastle.
“His start to the season has been sufficient. Perhaps scoring on his debut has “excited” him a little,” he said.
“The Newcastle fans created greater expectations on the boy. Tonali is not a goalscorer, we know this, but he is someone who knows how to make the team move.
“In a championship that is new for him, very physical and fast like that of the Premier League, he needs time to settle in and, I repeat, the Magpies’ calendar certainly did not help the talent from Brescia to integrate fully into Howe’s game with the necessary timing.
“When you have to face City, Liverpool and Brighton one after the other you always have to go full speed. So, so far, enough.”
