Newcastle United may have failed to truly improve their squad during the summer transfer window, yet Eddie Howe has still guided the club to two wins and a draw from their opening three Premier League games.
Add in a penalty shootout victory over Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup, and it has been a more than solid start to the campaign, despite failing to fully shine on the pitch.
Alexander Isak and Harvey Barnes were the stars of the show against Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend during the Magpies’ 2-1 win.
This should spark some confidence in the squad, especially considering Spurs' obvious qualities, while Howe has also been bolstered by the return of one player to the first-team squad of late – Sandro Tonali.
The importance of Sandro Tonali to Newcastle
The Italian signed for the club during the summer of 2023, costing around £55m from AC Milan. This move signified a major statement of intent by Howe, using the fact his side had qualified for the group stages of the Champions League as an incentive to lure the very best talent to the club.
The move soon turned sour as Tonali played just 12 times for the club before receiving a ten-month ban due to gambling breaches during his time in Italy, which meant he was missing between November and the end of last season.
He started his first game for Newcastle since October 2023 during their win over Forest in the League Cup last week, and he could be crucial for Howe going forward.
During his final season for Milan, Tonali made 48 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice while grabbing ten assists.
The midfielder shone in Serie A that season. Not only did he create 12 big chances for his teammates, but the Italian averaged 1.8 key passes and 0.9 shots per game, demonstrating his attacking talents.
Joey Barton
18 months
Sandro Tonali
Ten months
Ivan Toney
Eight months
Daniel Sturridge
Four months
Andros Townsend
Four months
He also chipped in defensively when required too. Across his 34 league matches, Tonali won 3.5 total duels per game – a success rate of 58% – while also making 1.9 tackles per match, underlining how important he was to the club, both in the final third and when Milan didn’t have the ball.
These are exactly the sort of traits which Howe was missing in his midfield. His two brief appearances will have allowed the player to build up his match fitness, as he will be looking to nail down a spot in the starting XI once the international break is finished.
Sandro Tonali’s market value at Newcastle in 2024
Although the Magpies shelled out a fortune to bring the 24-year-old to the north-east, his value has gone down over the previous few months due to his ban from football.
According to Transfermarkt, Tonali is now currently valued at €32m, which is a stark decline from their original outlay 12 months ago.
Of course, once he hits the ground running and begins to demonstrate his talents, this value should rise significantly over the next few months.
Over the previous few years, the Magpies have made some mistakes in the transfer market, such as letting players go for cheap who have gone on to become world-class players.
One such player is now back in the Premier League, six years after leaving Newcastle – Mikel Merino.
How much Newcastle received for Mikel Merino
Merino joined the club in the summer of 2017, initially on loan, before joining on a permanent basis from Borussia Dortmund in October of that year.
The Spaniard made just 25 appearances for the Magpies during his solitary season in England, scoring only once in the process.
He went on to join Real Sociedad in the summer of 2018 after they activated his release clause, which stood between £10.5m and £13m, ending his stay in England after one year.
Since then, the midfielder hasn’t done too badly for himself.
What Mikel Merino has done since leaving Newcastle
Over the next six seasons, Merino has established himself as one of the most effective midfielders in Spain, making 242 appearances for the La Liga side, registering 57 goal contributions in the process.
He secured his spot in the Spain squad for Euro 2024 due to his performances for Sociedad last term and enjoyed a successful tournament in Germany.
Merino may have started just once as the nation won their fourth European Championship title, but he did score the winner against Germany in the quarter-finals with just a minute left of extra time.
The midfielder also succeeded with 50% of his dribbles and created a big chance despite his limited action on the pitch, but it was enough to convince Mikel Arteta to spend £31.6m in order to bring him to Arsenal this summer.
In reality, however, he is worth more than that.
Mikel Merino’s market valuation in 2024
Despite only just arriving at the Emirates, Merino is now valued at €42m according to Transfermarkt, suggesting the Magpies endured a mistake by selling the player for such a low fee after only a single season at the club.
Hailed as a "duel monster" and an "aerial freak" by analyst Phil Costa, it's clear the player has gone to another level since leaving the Toon behind all those years ago.
There is no doubt the 28-year-old would be able to add something different to the current Newcastle midfield, and the club will surely still be rueing the decision to sell him for as little as £13m in 2018.
Merino will go from strength to strength under Arteta at the Gunners over the next couple of years as they aim for their first Premier League title since 2004.
What might’ve been had he remained at Newcastle? Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
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