The best Premier League midfielder of 24/25 is hiding in plain sight at Newcastle

There’s a case for Sandro Tonali being the best midfielder in the Premier League this season – and an even stronger one for him being the most underrated and underappreciated.

Having no European football to knacker their legs while vying for a Champions League spot in the league has been a huge reason for Newcastle United’s success but there is no coincidence that their performances have gone up a few levels following the return of Italian international Tonali.

In October 2023, Tonali was handed a 10-month ban for violating betting regulations. He was found to have gambled on football matches, including games involving his own team. He missed the vast majority of his debut season at St James’ Park and Euro 2024 with Italy as a result.

After undergoing an eight-month rehabilitation program, Tonali made his long-awaited return in August 2024 for the Magpies’ Carabao Cup second-round clash at Nottingham Forest – the first victory on their road to winning the competition.

Going nearly a year without kicking a ball in anger would take its toll on any footballer but Tonali was able to keep himself fit and, almost more importantly, motivated. There weren’t too many fears about him returning at the same level that prompted Newcastle to sign him from Milan for £55million, a record fee for an Italian player.

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We cannot understate the impact of Tonali’s return to Eddie Howe’s team. As the Newcastle head coach loves to do with new signings and returning players, he eased the 24-year-old back with a start in the cup and then appearances off the bench in the Premier League. The Toon Army were crying out for him to be brought back into the starting XI and when he did, it was in the midst of a tricky run for a pretty dysfunctional team.

As Tonali improved and got his rhythm back, the same could be said of his teammates, whose form improved alongside his, winning nine matches in a row to match a club record. In 16 Premier League matches this season in which Tonali has played at least 70 minutes, Newcastle have only lost three and drawn two, winning the other 11.

His comeback has been remarkable and – along with Alexander Isak’s goals – a key reason why Newcastle can go third with a win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday. Third! With a major trophy in the bag! And we make them favourites to emerge triumphant in the race for Champions League football.

Tonali is playing one of the most important and challenging roles flawlessly, which has allowed Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton to shine on either side of him. There is a strong case for the Italian having the best engine in the Premier League – sprinting with the ball as if it’s the first minute when it is actually the 94th minute against Manchester United. It is outrageous but he is much more than a workhorse; his composure and technical ability puts him in the same tier of Premier League midfielder as Declan Rice.

These two might well be in a tier of their own above Ryan Gravenberch and Moises Caicedo, a level that is obviously beneath Ballon d’Or holder Rodri.

Any doubts about Tonali are now long gone. And there were plenty – first when he joined Newcastle, and understandably even more when he was suspended.

The conversation around Newcastle has typically focused on Isak and Bruno Guimaraes. When they finished fourth in 2022/23, much of the praise went to their stingy back four and goalkeeper. In the absence of Sven Botman this season, Tonali has stepped up as a rock-solid No. 6 and his level of consistency has been astonishing.

All the big clubs want to sign Guimaraes and you cannot blame them, but Tonali has been Newcastle’s best player in 2024/25. Yet there’s no sign that a single Premier League club has him on their shortlist or sees him as their new midfield anchor. Great players don’t need to be linked with a transfer every hour of every day, but it underlines just how underrated Tonali is. Perhaps fears remain over his gambling ban (see Lucas Paqueta), but he has been rehabilitated.

In fact, the ban may have helped Newcastle in terms of transfer speculation. Italian players traditionally do not travel well and any fee Newcastle demand for Tonali will surely be too much for Serie A clubs. The Athletic have claimed this week that he would command the £55m he cost the Magpies if they are to sell – which would be a very respectable fee to pay for a player of his ability. It is unlikely an Italian club can pay that.

If he does depart, the buying club will be getting a world-class midfielder – Newcastle’s best midfielder. It’s Bruno this and Bruno that, and we do get why clubs want him, but not only is Tonali better, but significantly cheaper. Guimaraes would likely cost at least £100m – is he really almost twice the player? We are not buying it.

It’s not a competition Newcastle fans are eager to entertain – they’re simply delighted to have two elite midfielders running opposition teams ragged every week. Tonali has become indispensable, but the lack of noise around him might have fooled you. While others get the headlines and the transfer links, the 24-year-old quietly delivers elite-level performances week after week.

The truth is, Newcastle don’t need to sell him – and Tonali doesn’t need to move. He’s thriving in a system that suits him, under a manager who trusts him, at a club on the rise, in a league where he’s proving he belongs among the very best. He deserves his flowers – and we’re more than happy to pop in the florists on the way home.

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