Sandro Tonali refused to rule out a return to Milan after Tuesday’s draw at the San Siro – but his comments have been taken out of context amid rumours he didn’t want to leave his boyhood club.
After the game, Milan-based outlet Mediaset asked if he’ll be back. An awkward question so soon after he’s signed, to which he responded: “I don’t know…I’d pay to know my future. Maybe yes, maybe not. Football is strange. I’m not closing the door to AC Milan. I can’t and won’t hide my love, passion for Milan”.
Fabrizio Romano then reported on these quotes, where the responses were full of fans suggesting he’s missing Milan already. In reality, he was just answering a tough question put to him by the local press.
Since his arrival on Tyneside, the Italian media has pushed this narrative that the midfielder didn’t actually want to leave for Newcastle, with one outlet previously claiming he was ‘forced out.’ Tonali himself has already denied these reports, insisting he is happy on Tyneside and excited to be in the Premier League.
Tonali answer on Tuesday night was what you’d expect. He gave a pretty vague and media-trained answer, yet it has sparked more tiresome theories that he’s missing Milan and regrets his move.
The 23-year-old has left his boyhood-club for a foreign country – where he doesn’t speak the language – so there is naturally going to be a settling in period, as he explained alongside Eddie Howe in Monday’s press conference.
It is totally normal for a young player to take time to settle, on and off the pitch. Joe Willock moved from London to Newcastle, where no language barriers existed, yet he too admitted that it took time to feel at home after leaving his boyhood club (Arsenal).
Hopefully the media will stop over analysing every word that comes out of Tonali’s mouth. After all, we wouldn’t have parted with £55m if there’d been even a hint of doubt around him wanting the move.
