Mansion Sports – Juventus legend Claudio Marchisio has predicted that Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali could potentially join Serie A giants Juventus in the future.

The Italy international previously played for AC Milan before moving to Newcastle United in 2023 and later developed into an important figure under Eddie Howe at St James’ Park. Nevertheless, he has often been linked with a return to his homeland in the latter stages of his career.

Since joining Newcastle, Tonali has demonstrated his quality and adapted to the demands of English competition.

His career journey has shown significant development, beginning in Italy and evolving into a central figure in the Premier League.

Tonali Shows Development in the Premier League

Tonali is a graduate of the Brescia academy before being recruited by AC Milan in 2020, initially on loan before the move was made permanent. He won the Serie A title in the 2021-22 season with the Rossoneri at San Siro.

A year later, he made history as the most expensive Italian footballer when Newcastle paid 70 million euros to bring him to St James’ Park.

The early phase of his time on Tyneside was disrupted by a ten-month suspension, including eight months of rehabilitation related to violations of betting regulations in Italy.

However, Tonali managed to recover and emerged as a key player in the Premier League after delivering impressive performances within Howe’s tactical system.

He helped Newcastle finish in fifth place in the 2024-25 season and secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

This season, Newcastle’s domestic performance has faced challenges, but they successfully advanced to the round of 16 of Europe’s elite competition after eliminating Qarabag FK with a 9-3 aggregate score in the knockout phase play-off, in which Tonali also scored in the second leg.

Juventus Encouraged to Sign Tonali

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Marchisio was initially asked about the possibility of signing Bernardo Silva on a free transfer from Manchester City.

However, he emphasized that his former club needs to rebuild its foundation around core Italian players in order to restore its dominance in Serie A.

According to him, Juventus’ identity has always relied on high-quality Italian players. He believes Gianluigi Donnarumma would be difficult to sign because he has just moved to Manchester City.

Therefore, Tonali is considered a more realistic target and could serve as an excellent starting point for the club’s rebuilding project, although the process would require patience.

Marchisio also expressed his admiration for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, who previously shone while leading Napoli to the Serie A title in the 2022-23 season before his relationship with the club deteriorated.

He regards Osimhen as a striker full of determination who can provide a significant difference in attack.

Tonali Signed a Contract Extension During Suspension Period

Tonali himself has not ruled out the possibility of returning to Italy one day. Last October, he stated that the future is always open and that he has never closed the door to his country.

Although he currently feels he has found balance at Newcastle, he acknowledges that the quality of Serie A continues to improve and the level of competition is steadily developing.

Newcastle are in a strong position regarding Tonali’s future. The Italy international midfielder signed a contract extension during his suspension period, meaning he is now tied to the club until 2029 with the option of a further one-year extension.

This situation means that any interested Serie A clubs must prepare a substantial transfer fee to persuade Newcastle to release one of their valuable assets.

Juventus Endure Difficult Period After Five Matches Without Victory

Juventus began this season under the leadership of Igor Tudor, who is now serving as interim manager at Tottenham Hotspur.

However, he was dismissed after the team went eight matches without a win, and his position was replaced by Luciano Spalletti.

The 66-year-old coach initially managed to revive Juventus, but various issues have resurfaced over the past month.

Juventus have suffered four defeats in their last five matches and are at risk of being eliminated from the Champions League after losing 5-2 to Galatasaray in the first leg of the knockout phase play-off. The second leg is scheduled to take place on Wednesday night.