Tonali 'happy' but says future hard to predict

Tonali made his Italy debut in October 2019

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali says he is taking his future at the club one year at a time, but is happy at the Magpies and not thinking about leaving.

The Italy international has been with the Tyneside club since a £55m move from AC Milan in July 2023.

The 25-year-old initially signed a five-year contract and extended his deal by a year while serving a 10-month ban, which started in October 2023, from the Italian Football Federation for breaching betting rules.

His new terms also included the Magpies having an option to trigger an additional 12-month extension to 2030.

Asked about his long-term future at Newcastle following the 2-0 win against Athletic Club in the Champions League on Wednesday, Tonali said: "This is a tough question because, you know, [in] football you need to think year for year.

"I don't want to say I want to stay here 10 years and in two years, three years, four years [or] five years I will go."

Newcastle were involved in a drawn-out transfer controversy last summer which eventually ended with striker Alexander Isak leaving to join Liverpool for £125m.

Before the deal was concluded Isak said promises had been "broken" by Newcastle and that their "relationship can't continue", while the Mapgies insisted there had never been an agreement that the player could leave in the summer.

Tonali, who has become an integral part of manager Eddie Howe's team and has played 14 times this season, said: "The last summer was tough for us, for Alex [Isak], but this is football.

"If you have an option for your life, for another team you need to think about everything.

"I don't want to say, 'Yes, I want to stay here 10 years', but now I'm happy here. I don't think anything about another team."