Newcastle CEO reveals stance on potential Sandro Tonali sale amid Man Utd transfer interest

The Magpies are determined to maintain control over their squad depth following a difficult season. After losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool in a record-breaking £125m deal last year, the board is keen to avoid another saga that leaves the team weakened during a rebuild. Tonali has emerged as a top target for several Premier League rivals, including Man Utd, looking to bolster their midfields. However, Newcastle's hierarchy is prepared to play hardball to ensure any potential exit provides maximum value for the club’s future projects.

Newcastle United CEO Hopkinson has insisted that any player departures this summer will happen only on the club's terms. Addressing the possibility of losing another marquee name, he said: "We haven't got an overall strategy with regard to players out, necessarily. We think through what players might or might not want to do this summer. But if an Isak-like scenario presents itself again, any player under contract is going to leave on our terms and we're going to maximise the opportunity that might represent for the club.

"Going forward, our strategy is to buy well and sell well. Buying well does not necessarily mean spending the most money. It means working in the marketplace for the players that generate the most value for this club rather than the fee paid for them. So there are a multitude of things we need to employ, including developing our own, looking for opportunities in the marketplace and making sure we are maximising our opportunity within the available price we can produce."

While Tonali's situation is a major talking point, the future of manager Eddie Howe is also under the microscope. Newcastle currently sit 12th in the Premier League table and recently suffered a bruising home defeat to derby rivals Sunderland, leading to questions about whether a change in the dugout is on the horizon this summer. When asked directly about Howe's position, Hopkinson was non-committal regarding the long term.

"I don't have a stance on his future," Hopkinson added. "What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt. We take it seriously. There's nothing within us that thinks 'well, it's just three points and on we go'. It has resonated.

"I spent a couple of hours in a one-on-one lunch recently with Eddie [Howe] and we talked through a multitude of things, including that. Eddie's our manager. I expect to have a great run to the end of the season here and we'll talk about the future when it's time. Right now, we're focused on this season's competition."

After finishing fifth in the Premier League last season, Newcastle have struggled to match their form. They have now collected just 42 points from 31 matches, leaving them 12 points adrift of the Champions League places. With seven league matches remaining, the Magpies' hopes of playing in Europe's top flight next season are slim, and their target is now to at least qualify for the Europa League or the Conference League. Their next match is against Crystal Palace on April 12.