Riccardo Calafiori has sent clear message about Sandro Tonali to Mikel Arteta

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has been mentioned in connection with an Arsenal move as the winter transfer deadline approaches

Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori already knows a great deal about Sandro Tonali, the latest midfielder to be linked with a move to Emirates Stadium. Newcastle midfielder Tonali has emerged as a potential target after Mikel Merino's injury, though the Magpies don't appear to be in any hurry to sell, and early reports indicate there has been no contact at the time of writing.

Calafiori and Tonali are international team-mates with Italy and the former Bologna star welcomed his colleague back after a lengthy club and international ban. Tonali was unable to play any football during a ban for breaching betting rules, which kept him out of Euro 2024, but returned for the Azzurri less than two months after that tournament ended.

Tonali's start against France in September 2024 was his first for his country in almost a full year. He impressed in a 3-1 win, setting up Federico Dimarco's equaliser and earning high praise from Calafiori.

"What is he giving us that's different from the European Championship? He's a beast, he combines quantity with quality, you can see that the Premier League helps guys like him, me, and other guys a lot," Calafiori told Sky Sport (via TuttoMercatoWeb) after the win.

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Tonali started all six of Italy's games during that Nations League campaign as they reached the quarter-finals before losing 5-4 on aggregate to Germany. He has also been a regular in World Cup qualifying, missing just one game as Italy finished second in their group behind Norway.

Newcastle signed Tonali from AC Milan in 2023 for around £55million, signing a five-year deal. BBC Sport reported that deal was extended during his ban and now runs until 2029 with an option for a further year, though no official announcement has been forthcoming.

"His physicality is one of the standout attributes that he possesses," Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said of Tonali in the autumn. "He makes the difference continually for us in that way.

"Most midfielders have to have that element of athleticism and ideally a gear change when we're getting countered on, or when we need to go forward. He possesses a couple of gear changes, but then you add to that his technical ability and tactical understanding, it does make him a really good player."

If Howe's side won't entertain a sale, it leaves Arsenal with a decision to make. Merino looks set for a spell on the sidelines with a foot injury, with the news arriving after team-mate Bukayo Saka was injured in the warm-up ahead of the weekend win at Leeds.

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