Former Newcastle United star John Barnes has warned that the Magpies will always be haunted by players wanting to live in London, following Sandro Tonali's £100million move to Tottenham Hotspur. Barnes, who played for Liverpool and England, said he was not surprised by the transfer and feels it will be a recurring theme for targets and stars who may quit St James' Park.
Barnes on London's Pull
Reflecting on Tonali's move south, Barnes told BetFred: "Except for Liverpool and Manchester United, it’s always been the same, for years and years and years, players playing anywhere north of Birmingham want to move to London. As much as Newcastle United are doing better than Tottenham, there are foreign players who would rather live in London."
Barnes also claimed that Tonali's decision to leave Tyneside had nothing to do with football and was more of a lifestyle decision by the Italy star and his family. He said: "Foreign players don’t have an allegiance to anywhere in England, even though a move to Liverpool or Manchester United is a bit different, so if a club from London comes calling, then they’re going to go. When people wonder why this move could happen, it’s nothing to do with football."
Tonali's Comments on the Move
On his way out of Milan Airport, Tonali told assembled TV reporters when asked if he was happy with the deal: "Absolutely. We've decided to make a change, so we're ready for this new adventure. Newcastle wanted the best for me and we wanted the best deal for them. So I think that once you go like this it is different, so we are all happy and I am ready for the new challenge."
Asked why he chose Spurs, Tonali said: "Let's say Roberto De Zerbi had a big percentage in this, and for a life choice, we come from Newcastle and our lives change with our child's birth. So we decided to change a bit. De Zerbi made a great difference and did the job very well."
Newcastle's Transfer Struggles
Newcastle have been fighting to keep their best players, but reluctantly agreed to Tonali's exit, after Anthony Gordon also left for Barcelona at the end of the season. Arsenal are still keen on Bruno Guimaraes. The club faces an uphill battle to retain top talent amid the lure of London clubs.
