Cellino: 'I hope Tonali stays in Italy'

By Football Italia staff

Brescia President Massimo Cellino points out the changes in Italian football and is preparing to let Sandro Tonali go this summer: “I would love to see him in Naples or Rome.”

The Rondinelle are bottom of Serie A after 26 rounds and patron Cellino spoke to Tuttosport about the current climate in the top tier and the future of his most wanted talent in the Brescia squad.

“I want to make everybody understand the current environment of Italia football,” he told Tuttosport. “For Easter I received thousands of greetings, but not one from another President in Serie A.

“In the ‘90s it wasn’t like that, we were brothers. There wasn’t a Lega party where we weren’t all together for dinner with the wives.”

“In the Lega, I see a lot of foreign lawyers and managers, many of whom I don’t know, who don’t even know the players they have on the bench. Football has become a bad copy of politics.

“I have been away from Italian football for six years, but unfortunately I’m realising the country I came back to.”

After revealing his feelings about the changes in Italian football, the rest of the interview was more or less about Sandro Tonali and the future of the starlet.

“In January, a very important team came to me and told me they wanted Tonali. I didn’t come up with any numbers, but only one question: ‘Would you let him play in the Champions League immediately?’

“They replied they would leave him at Brescia until the end of the season. So, I told them: ‘Thanks, but then I’ll keep him completely and we can talk about it in July’.

“In February, I received another very important request and I didn’t tell Tonali anything, with the intent of giving him a nice surprise in June. The name of the team, I can’t say, but unfortunately the coronavirus has changed everything.

“My dream would be to keep him; I would be willing to do somersaults. But I have a deal with Sandro, who is a great lad. He knows that when he asks me to leave, I will let him go. I will not make it a matter of price; the important thing is that he chooses with the heart. And he is the only one who decides.”

In an interview with the Corriere della Sera, Tonali revealed he has followed Milan since he was young and pointed out Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso as his biggest idol, inevitably linking him with both clubs.

“Who runs Milan? Once upon a time there were [Silvio] Berlusconi and [Adriano] Galliani, the masters I was inspired by.

“Anyway, I’m not sure if Tonali supported Milan, but for sure, I know he loved Gattuso. So, Napoli? One thing was the player, another thing is the coach. It changes everything.

Juventus and Inter are leading the chase for the jewel’s signature, but Cellino admitted he would love to see the 19-year-old move to Naples or Rome.

“For [Radja] Nainggolan, during my time at Cagliari, I gave up Juve’s money because I was convinced that Radja needed the warmth of Roma and I was right.

“Tonali is a colder boy from the North. But inside, he is sentimental. That’s why, since I’m romantic, I would like to see him in Rome or Naples. But it will hardly happen. I would prefer, however, that he stayed in Italy.

“Juve have developed a lot under [President Andrea] Agnelli and [sporting director Fabio] Paratici. There’s a foreign owner at Inter and I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting him.

“But they have [CEO Giuseppe] Marotta, a top manager for whom I have great respect. We will see… It depends on Tonali, he’ll be the one to choose. But I hope he will stay in Italy and I hope he plays.”

Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £9.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow