AC Milan legend Pippo Inzaghi has revealed his disappointment that Sandro Tonali is expected to leave the club and join Newcastle United.
According to Fabrizio Romano among other sources, the midfielder will join new Premier League power Newcastle for €70m including bonuses, and Tonali will get a potential €9m net per season for six years.
After the new of Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara’s sackings, it is yet more news that seems to have destabilised the Milan environment, and we tried to cover all angles regarding the move in a feature.
Inzaghi spoke during an interview on Radio24 about Tonali’s imminent exit and what it means for Milan, with his comments relayed by our colleagues at SempreMilan.it.
“When you lose an Italian talent abroad it’s always a disappointment. Then Tonali for me was someone with the face of the captain of Milan for the next 10 years,” he said.
“I don’t know the dynamics, I don’t feel like going into it and I think that for a player going abroad is important for growth, for the language and for different habits. I would certainly be sorry, as a Milan fan.
“I see him as a strong player but if the club does so it means that they will then set up a market up to par. Do icons no longer exist? I don’t know, I still believe in them, I still believe they can exist.
“Even when I was at Milan, after 2007, I received many offers from abroad, especially from the USA. But I have always preferred the love of my people to money: for me it was the best to play for Milan and I sincerely hope that these players still exist.”
“Until a few days ago, he only had Milan in mind and even when training with his Italy Under-21s side, he had only the Rossoneri in mind. He had no thoughts about leaving the club and playing in England.
Geoffrey Moncada had a telephonic conversation with the midfielder, who was then at the Italy Under-21s retreat in Romania. It was made clear to him that if he didn’t accept the sale, his contract renewal beyond 2027 would not happen. This convinced Tonali that he isn’t wanted at the club anymore.
It is stated that while the common narrative is that everyone is happy with the move, that isn’t actually the case because there is a feeling that Tonali has essentially been forced out.”
This seems highly unlikely. In the end, the player makes the sale possible or not and the truth is that this sale went VERY fast with Sandro’s approval.
And who can blame him at 9m. But let’s not act holier than the pope.
What seems unlikely? That a player that was talking about staying at Milan until the end of his career suddenly decided to leave and for Newcastle? I think that seems more unlikely.
I don’t blame him at all, it is pretty obvious who I am blaming.
I think you are biased to accept the fact.
It happened so fast yes and that’s basically because of the way the owners and management treated the whole situation.
If an employee is not wanted anymore by his employers, what does he do? Its either he resigns or get sacked.
In Tonali case he’s not wanted anymore by his employers and they want to make money with his sale, so do you expect him to stay with owners that has already made their decision? Does he have the power to do that? Even if he rejects the transfer do you think he will be happy playing in this team anymore knowing that his employers doesn’t want him?
I’m happy for Tonali expecially for the salary he will be receiving in Newcastle, a salary that the Americans will never pay him even in 8 years time.
Exactly.
He does not play for employers. He plays for himself and fans!
Hey Mathias, Tonali cut his salary so he can play for Milan. It’s obvious the guy loves Milan with all his heart and wants to play for the club for the rest of his career. If he choose money over Milan, he already did that long before he joined Milan.
So fvck outta here with your stupid accusation that Tonali is a money hungry player.
Player can’t exist without the club and vice versa. It is obvious new owner politics is strong and players must have agreement with the club.
Either sale in Tonali case, or extention with Leao. Question is if Leao would extend now after everything happened.
Milan will be in very big roller coaster with gambling owner who don’t care about club achievement.
#GerryCardinaleout
Agreed. 🖕 cardinale!
Got that right. 100%. Sadly the so called fans, some, still defend him. Even, when he ia destroying this new team that M&M AND ELLIOT built. This team that filled the san siro week in week out. This team that won, seria a first time in many many years and reached the cl semis. Thia team that made many of the supporters happy and excited after many years in the dark. Insted of reinforing the team cardinale is destroing it with their moneyball scheme. Now the fans should settle in for milan to become the new atalanta. Hope, cardinale sells this club fast to someone who actually cares about the club.
In 2 years, he will be out. He can not keep paying Elliot+interest, and other investors from who he invested money.
… cultura de béisbol aplicada al fútbol, no hablo de Moneyball… Forza Milan… Sempre Milan
Now inter Milan are close to signing thuram
After selling tonali..we are bidding for fratessi and thuram just to deceive the fans will then end up buying 5 players from India and Afghanistan for 6 millions dollars
Love Pippo. It’s players like him who made milan what it is. They have rossonero blood and why I support this team. That support is getting more faint with this management and with all of our icons and future icons being canned. Hoping to see something bright on the horizon that makes this club feel worth it again but not so confident..
My feelings exactly buddy. Just sad to be a hardcore milan fan these days. #cardinaleout
I’m very disappointed in Inzagi I thought he was intelligent and above this
Maybe Inter should invest in someone better?
Izaghi have said it all.I think leave that guy will be more productive. He knows the system well.This American owner is something else. May God help millian to achieve something.
I prefer Milan without any achievements for nnext 2-3 years or even degrade to serie B if it could make Redbird sell their ownership of Milan
Tonali realize that Newcastle Project more loud and clear than milan project who still struggle with his internal selfishness. So sad.
Milan hardcore fans should walkout in milan home games. #CardinaleOut. Mr. Cheese burger with free flow refil soda. Hahahaha
If Maldini last summer listened to Kaladze to get Kvaratskhelia for about 15 million instead of spending double for De Keteleare, he would have kept his job, because we might have won the scudetto. Now he is out and the American cowboy sells one of the best talents to get his lost money from DE Keteleare. It seems that Hernandez is also on the way to Newcastle…
He doesn’t care about AC Milan and only has money in mind.
#CardinaleOut