Fans are convinced Newcastle United new-signing Sandro Tonali will follow in the footsteps of Romelu Lukaku by looking to return to Serie A swiftly.
Newcastle have uploaded a video of Tonali being shown around his new club's facilities, but it's fair to say he wasn't wowed by what he saw. The Italian has left his beloved AC Milan for Tyneside for €64 million, becoming the second-most expensive signing in Magpies' history.
However, Tonali appears monotone and unenthusiastic in the video of his first tour of the Premier League giants' facilities. His wife joined him on the tour and tries to put a positive spin on things when they make their way through the gym. She said (via Milan Posts):
"The gym wasn't as big in Milan."
Tonali wasn't having any of it and quickly snaps back:
"It was bigger."
The 23-year-old reportedly broke down in tears when he was informed that he was being sold to Newcastle by Milan. He was a fan of the Rossoneri during his childhood and always dreamed of playing for the illustrious Italian club. He said when joining the Serie A giants in 2020:
"More or less everyone supports Milan where I'm from, including my father, who passed that passion onto me as a kid. I've wanted to wear this jersey for a while.
Tonali played 130 times across competitions for Milan, scoring seven goals and providing 13 assists. He won the Serie A title in 2022 and had been one of Milan's most important players over the years.
However, the Rossoneri decided to cash in on the midfielder, and he has joined Eddie Howe's revolution in Tyneside. The financial lure of the Magpies paid dividends, but judging from his reaction to their facilities, fans aren't too confident that he will be content in north England.
One fan has suggested that his time at St James' Park could pan out similarly to Lukaku's second spell at Chelsea. The Belgian striker joined the Blues from Inter Milan in 2021 but forced a quick return to Inter on loan the following year:
"Might pull a Lukaku."
Another thinks Tonali has taken a step down by joining Newcastle from Milan:
"One of the greatest downgrades ever."
Here's how Twitter reacted to the Italian's miserable mood when walking around his new club's facilities:
AC Milan looked to use Tonali's sale to Newcastle to land Lukaku
Milan were reportedly interested in using some of the funds made from Tonali's move to Newcastle to launch a bid for Chelsea striker Lukaku.
The Rossoneri are said to have held talks with the Stamford Bridge outfit over a €40 million deal for the Belgian. However, Lukaku's heart lies with their arch-rivals Inter, so a move to Stefano Pioli's side is unlikely.
The veteran forward's future with Chelsea is in doubt after spending the last season on loan with the Nerazzurri. He scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 37 games across competitions.
However, Inter aren't in the best financial position to secure Lukaku's return. Hence, AC Milan were keen on joining the race for the Belgian, but a move doesn't seem plausible.