Arya News - According to a report from Fichajes, Barcelona sporting director Deco has set his sights on Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali as the ideal replacement for Frenkie de Jong, should the Dutch midfielder...
The club envisions a midfield core where Tonali and Pedri manage central duties, Marc Casado and Marc Bernal anchor the deeper positions, while Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Fermin Lopez rotate further up the pitch.
The financial trouble
For what it is worth, the financial aspect remains the primary obstacle. Tonali joined Newcastle in 2023 for a fee reportedly around €70 million, and the Premier League club is unlikely to entertain cut-price offers.
Barça know that any move would likely depend on De Jong’s exit, both in terms of funding and squad structure.
Should the Dutchman choose not to renew or seek a transfer, the Catalan club would free up crucial wage space and could redirect resources to bring in Tonali.
While no negotiations have begun for now, the Blaugrana are already working behind the scenes to assess the viability of such a deal.
*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on the date of publication.