Sandro Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Riso has suggested interest from clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester City was the long-term aim of the midfielder’s move to England, in comments made to Italian outlet Calcio e Finanza.
Sandro Tonali’s future has been pushed back into the transfer conversation after his agent, Giuseppe Riso, said the plan behind the midfielder’s move to Newcastle was always to elevate him towards the level of clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester City. Speaking to Italian outlet Calcio e Finanza, Riso was asked about reports linking Tonali with top Premier League sides and gave an answer that is likely to attract attention in north London as well as at St James’ Park.
The key line came when Riso was asked about Tonali being “in the sights” of teams that aspire to win the Premier League, with Arsenal and Manchester City named in the question. Riso replied: “Exactly, this was the objective from the moment he went to England: to try to make him become a stellar player.” He added that he believes Tonali is “the Italian player with one of the highest values in the world”. That is not the same as confirming an Arsenal move is under way, but it is a notable public indication that Tonali’s camp see this level of interest as part of the player’s planned trajectory.
Riso did not say Arsenal had made an offer, nor did he say Tonali was pushing to leave Newcastle now. What he did say was that the move to England in 2023 was designed to place Tonali in a position where the very biggest clubs would eventually take notice. In that sense, the agent’s comments are less a transfer confirmation than a signal of ambition. Arsenal were named in the question, and Riso chose to validate the wider idea behind it rather than distance his client from the speculation.
Riso also spoke warmly about the way Tonali was treated in England during the most difficult period of his career. He said Newcastle and their supporters behaved “in an incredible way”, and added that the midfielder received a standing ovation when entering the stadium despite his suspension. Riso contrasted that with the atmosphere in Italy and said: “Now, Sandro has changed completely.” Those remarks help explain why the player’s camp still view the Premier League as the right environment for his development.
For Arsenal, the comments are interesting because they place the club directly inside the conversation around one of Italy’s highest-profile midfielders. They may not prove that a deal is close. But they do suggest that, from Tonali’s side, being linked with title-chasing Premier League clubs is not an unwelcome distraction. According to Riso, it was part of the vision from the start.