After Newcastle United’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Athletic Club, midfielder Sandro Tonali opened up about his long-term future with the club. The Italian admitted that football’s unpredictable nature makes it difficult to make promises about staying for many years. His comments came after Newcastle’s inconsistent domestic run, which included a 3-1 defeat to West Ham and a late-heartbreak 2-1 defeat against Arsenal, as reported by SoftFootball.
Tonali, 25, said he prefers a year-by-year approach to his career rather than giving long-term assurances. He explained that football can change quickly and referenced the departure of his former teammate Alexander Isak to Liverpool as a reminder of that reality. He said:
This is football. The last summer was tough for us, for Alex, but this is football. If you have an option for your life, for another team, you need to think about everything.
Despite keeping his future open, Tonali made it clear he is currently happy at Newcastle. He said in a post shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account:
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. I want to think just for me, year for year.
He also praised the club and fans for standing by him during his 10-month suspension, saying it strengthened his connection with them.
Tonali clarified that the reported secret contract extension, which ties him to Newcastle until 2028 with an option for 2029, was agreed during his suspension. While AC Milan and Juventus are keeping tabs on him, he remains focused on helping Eddie Howe’s side continue their Champions League journey.
