The Rebuild Dilemma: Will Newcastle Sell Tonali, Livramento and/or Hall?

Just as the dust settles on Anthony Gordon’s £69.3 million move to Barcelona, transfer reports suggest Newcastle United are prepared to "listen to offers" for three of their most valuable assets: Sandro Tonali, Tino Livramento, and Lewis Hall.

Evolution or Revolution?

With financial regulations squeezing the club's spending power, the hierarchy must balance funding Eddie Howe’s squad overhaul against tearing out the team's core.

We saw with Isak's departure how the loss of his pace, unique skill set and dynamic finishing affected Eddie's preferred style of play so, with Gordon already gone, will it be evolution or revolution in the squad revamp this summer?

Will we see one, two, or all three walk out the door? Let’s break down the likelihood.

Scenario 1: We Sell One (The Likely Compromise)

Likelihood: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Selling only one of these players is the most realistic route.

While the Gordon sale provided breathing room, further elite reinforcements—like the pursuit of Osasuna winger Victor Munoz—require more capital.

Newcastle have reportedly slapped a £100 million price tag on Sandro Tonali - and possibly more depending on Elliot Anderson's sale fee - amidst supposedly heavy interest from Manchester City, Arsenal, and Manchester United.

If that valuation is met, it may simply be too much money to turn down.

Generating nearly £170m from just Gordon and Tonali would fully fund a right-winger, another striker and a top midfielder, all while keeping our young fullback duo intact.

Joe Willock is also likely to leave bringing in another c£25M that would bring the available transfer pot up to nigh on £200M + what is already in there.

Scenario 2: We Sell Two (The Aggressive Reset)

Likelihood: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is where the strategy gets aggressive, and highly risky.

Selling two of this trio would mean four of our top players walking out the door in a 12-month span when you factor in Isak and Gordon.

While it would grant the club and Eddie Howe massive spending power, replacing that much proven, settled Premier League quality in a single window is a big gamble.

Last summer proved big signings don't mean big upgrades to the squad and with the club now looking to sign players from outside of the Prem the gamble becomes even bigger.

It also sends a sobering message to the rest of the squad - a message that had a deflating effect when Isak abandoned the club to seek bigger wages and bigger trophy winning opportunities.

Scenario 3: We Sell All Three (A Capitulation)

Likelihood: ❌

A plan to sell all three is surely not on the agenda.

There is a massive difference between listening to offers and staging a fire sale.

However, the big IF here is - do these three players want away?

Tino has refused to engage in new contract negotiations, Tonali's agent is rumoured to be hawking him around presumably with Sandro's approval, and Hall is rumoured to be unhappy with not being a guaranteed first choice over Burn.

All three players are tied down to secure, long-term contracts running until at least 2028 so, although the club are in a strong position to ask top fees, how will the club react if all three ask to leave?

The Isak saga has left a lingering bruise on the hierarchy, and us fans, and whilst I wouldn't expect any of the three to go on strike there are other ways to force a move.

That's why I believe selling all three wouldn't be a strategy, but a capitulation.

The Verdict: A Line Must Be Drawn

Last summer one of the big mistakes was not understanding that Isak wanted away and that three years left on his contract meant nothing other than we could demand a high fee.

That's why, IMO, all three by now should have been sat down and asked specifically "are you happy to stay, or do you definitely want to go".

Depending on how many of those three, and who, the club are OK with selling the others need to have already been told "we'll decide who leaves, not you or your agent".

No more capitualating to player power as we did with Isak.

The saying that no player is bigger than the club has to be enforced.

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