Alan Shearer has had his say on the future of Sandro Tonali after the midfielder was linked with a deadline-day move to Arsenal and with several other European giants now being linked with the Newcastle star.

Sky Germanyreporter Florian Plettenberg caused a stir on deadline daywhen he claimed Arsenalhad made an approach to sign the Italy international from the Magpies.

Another journalist Ben?Jacobs then took to?X?to write: ‘Understand Arsenal haven’t made contact for Sandro Tonali and Newcastle’s position is the midfielder is not for sale.’

Before David Ornstein of The Athleticinsisted that Tonali had been ‘offered to Arsenal’by the Newcastle star’s agent with ‘no contact’ made with the Geordies over a potential transfer.

But Tonali’s agent,?Giuseppe Riso, claimed that he hadn’t spoken to Arsenal about a potential move and insisted that the Newcastle star’s future is something to talk about more in March.

Fabrizio Romano claims Tonali is “one to watch in the summer” as Arsenal remain interested, while Pep Guardiola set tongues wagging by grabbing the Italian for one of his intense post-match chats on Wednesday – he claims innocently– while another report claims the midfielder has ‘offered himself’ to Real Madrid.

There’s no smoke without fire and Shearer reckons there will be plenty of top clubs interested in Tonali, and Newcastle’s other “best players”, if his former club don’t turn things around.

“Sandro Tonali hasn’t hit the heights he was at last season, but I guess what’ll happen is, if Newcastle aren’t going to qualify for Europe or be competitive in the Premier League, you’d expect other clubs will look at Newcastle and try to buy their best players,” Shearer told Betfair.

“Although it was a surprise in the January window, I think it’ll happen more in the summer if Newcastle don’t achieve what they have in the past few years.

“Top players want to play Champions League football, and we know there’s no real loyalty in football – I’m not saying Tonali will do anything like that, but we know if clubs don’t get into European places, other clubs will try and pick players up.

“Newcastle have to start winning games and go far in the FA Cup and hopefully the Champions League to try and rescue what, at the minute, certainly Premier League wise, has been a disappointing return.

“I know we got to a semi-final and all those years ago we’d craved for that but then the money that’s been spent and put into the club and where the club wants to go to, at the minute it’s been disappointing.”

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