Eddie Howe stance amid Sandro Tonali transfer talk as Newcastle United happiness questioned

With the January transfer window approaching, talk in Sandro Tonali's native Italy continues over the midfielder eyeing a premature return to Serie A. This week reports in the Italian press suggest the 24-year-old is unhappy at Newcastle United as he struggles to hold down a place in Eddie Howe's starting XI on Tyneside.

Tonali has indeed been in and out of the team in recent weeks after returning from a 10-month suspension for gambling-related issues. Howe has been reluctant to start the former AC Milan star consistently as he bids to monitor the player's minutes, and find the best midfield trio available, after such a lengthy time out.

Speculation of a Newcastle exit is nothing new - but what do we know about how Tonali feels at St James' Park?

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What's being said in Italy?

As mentioned, Tonali being touted with a move back to his home country is no big surprise - and has actually been a rather common theme in recent months. Even over the summer, when the player was still sidelined from competitive action, column inches in the Italian newspapers were filled with speculation that sooner rather than later he would be plying his trade in Serie A once more.

Back in September, former AC Milan star Massimo Ambrosini encouraged his former club to bring Tonali back to the San Siro - and he isn't the only ex-player to echo that sentiment.

The Newcastle star was back at his old stomping ground earlier this term as Italy played France in the Nations League. After the clash, Tonali was photographed behind the scenes with Italy team-mate Daniel Maldini and French duo Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan, all of whom he played with in Milan, further adding to speculation over a feeling of homesickness.

In recent weeks, reputable and established Italian publications have poured further fuel on the fire. CalcioMercato this week reported AC Milan would be ready to make a bid for his return just 18 months after allowing him to depart.

Wednesday brought further speculation that Tonali is unhappy in the north east of England given a lack of game time of late. Gazzetta dello Sport insist a return to his beloved club is possible - potentially on loan.

Tonali's 'happiness' at St James' Park

Leaving your home country for the first time, while saying goodbye to your boyhood club in your early twenties in the process, would be a difficult experience for anyone. Throw in a very public gambling saga and subsequent ban from football on top of that and you'll be hard pressed to find anyone lacking in sympathy for Tonali's start to life in England.

“Last year was a very hard path, but very productive. I’ll will always carry with me the memory of the year that I spent off the pitch because it is right not to forget,” Tonali explained over the weekend.

“I think when a player trains all week without his ultimate goal, which is the game, he finds a sense of emptiness inside him. It wasn’t easy to spend the first year away from home without playing an official game, but trying to keep fit. This was the challenge I had to face in the most serious way possible.”

After overcoming understandable homesickness, a lengthy time away from the pitch, relationship struggles and personal issues behind the scenes, Tonali now appears to be thriving at Newcastle - despite his frustrating lack of consistent game time.

The former Brescia star is still with his partner, content creator and business owner Juliette Pastore, with the pair recently enjoying a trip to Edinburgh together. With each passing week he looks more and more settled in the north east of England.

Both on the training pitch and in competitive action, Tonali is also growing more accustomed to being Newcastle's main man. His recent displays in the middle of the park have looked inspired and you feel it is only a matter of time before the £52m signing becomes an undroppable figure in this Magpies side.

Tonali's improvement is no doubt helped by the fact he has struck up a brilliant friendship with Bruno Guimaraes among others, while making incredible strides learning English with his personal, and incredibly-named, tutor - Simonetta Italiano.

Despite a lack of recognition at club level, Italy boss Luciano Spalletti is building his new-look team around the midfield maestro. There's been six games and six starts for Tonali for the Azzurri this term, with the national team chief praising the midfielder for his energy of late.

Howe has already shut down exit talk

At the risk of repeating oneself, rumours and gossip over an AC Milan return have been doing the rounds for some time. So much so, Howe was asked about the transfer talk earlier this season.

"That one is news to me. It is not something I am contemplating. I am trying to build Sandro into the team after his ban," Howe said. "He has performed really well the last few games. I have been really pleased with how he is finding his feet in the team.

"He is building new relationships. It is not just the player coming into the team it is also the players around Sandro and how those relationships start to form. I have been pleased how they have."

Italian reports continue to talk of Tonali's value dropping given his limited football in the last 18 months but with Newcastle needing to work hard for every single penny these days, it is hard to imagine club chiefs sanctioning an exit for less than they paid for the international just last year [£52m].

Unless Tonali pushes for a move or refuses to play - which seems unlikely given his incredible determination and efforts behind the scenes in the last 12 months - it is hard to contemplate Newcastle wanting to sell full stop. No matter how much those back in Italy are hopeful of an emotional return.