Sandro Tonali’s agent reveals new details of Newcastle United’s marquee transfer talks

Sandro Tonali’s agent Guiseppe Riso has talked through his client’s negotiations with Newcastle United after protracting his move from AC Milan.

The defensive midfielder is expected to be a Newcastle player soon but his representative has claimed Tonali needed United’s Saudi-backed project explained to him before leaving his beloved Milan. Tonali, at 23, will arrive on Tyneside as an established star but his agent also hinted he is not yet the finished article.

Riso, speaking to reporters in Italy, said: “It was not easy at the start to explain the project, but he is intelligent and understood straight away.

“We found the best solution for everyone, for Milan and for Sandro.”

Tonali was keen to play in England as he sees the Premier League as a global brand with Riso adding that a comparison was made to the high-flying life of basketball in the States: “He is going to have an experience in the NBA of football.”

“If he has an opportunity like this it must go there. “The most difficult moment of the negotiation was the beginning, explaining the route and the project to the boy wasn’t easy.”

Riso was speaking at the Grand Hotel in Rimini for the official opening of the transfer market. Tonali completed his medical in Romania during the Italy U21 squad’s stay there for the European Championships.

Both sporting director Dan Ashworth and head of recruitment Steve Nickson had been on hand in Europe to get the deal completed.