'There's no real loyalty in football': Alan Shearer discusses Sandro Tonali's future amid transfer rumours
Newcastle United are potentially going to have to face up to the realisation that they could lose one of their best players for the second consecutive summer.
We all remember how painful last summer was as the Alexander Isak saga dragged on and on, and now it's starting to feel like we may have to go through it all again this year with Sandro Tonali.
There was plenty of speculation around Tonali on deadline day, which all turned out to be a pack of lies, but those lies have kicked off a web of rumours that just keeps growing.
Now everything Tonali does and says is going to be micro-analysed. His conversation with Pep Guardiola at full-time last night rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.
Alan Shearer says Newcastle may struggle to keep hold of Sandro Tonali
Eddie Howe and David Hopkinson insist that Sandro Tonali is committed to Newcastle, but his performances this season tell a slightly different story.
Even Alan Shearer has noticed, and he has speculated that the Italian's time on Tyneside could be running out in an article for Betfair (via The Mirror).
"Sandro Tonali hasn't hit the heights he was at last season, but I guess what'll happen is, if Newcastle aren't going to qualify for Europe or be competitive in the Premier League, you'd expect other clubs will look at Newcastle and try to buy their best players.
"Although it was a surprise in the January window, I think it'll happen more in the summer if Newcastle don't achieve what they have in the past few years. Top players want to play Champions League football, and we know there's no real loyalty in football - I'm not saying Tonali will do anything like that, but we know if clubs don't get into European places, other clubs will try and pick players up.
"Newcastle have to start winning games and go far in the FA Cup and hopefully the Champions League to try and rescue what, at the minute, certainly Premier League wise, has been a disappointing return. I know we got to a semi-final and all those years ago we'd craved for that but then the money that's been spent and put into the club and where the club wants to go to, at the minute it's been disappointing."
There's still plenty to play for
Overcoming Aston Villa in the FA Cup a week on Saturday will go a long way to repairing the broken faith in Newcastle's season. If we can get beyond that tricky tie and continue in the FA Cup and get beyond the Champions League play-offs this season won't look as big a disaster as it currently feels.
Obviously, the Premier League has to be a priority and getting back into Europe, preferably the Champions League, has to be the goal in order to keep the current squad happy and to be able to attract the calibre of players we need.
If we don't do any of these things, then what chance do we have of convincing the likes of Tonali to stay at the club?
