Sandro Tonali role will help Newcastle United but photo will add to speculation Howe has shut down

With all eyes, naturally, on Lewis Hall, Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento in England shirts during the international break, attention has been diverted away from Sandro Tonali - the new poster boy of the Italian national side.

The former AC Milan star made an emotional return to the San Siro on Sunday evening as his country lost 3-1 to France - subsequently relinquishing top spot in their Nations League group. Days earlier, however, Tonali was scooping a Man of the Match award after netting the only goal of the game in Italy's win over Belgium.

"Davide Frattesi and Sandro Tonali seem more like runners, more like wild horses for open spaces," Italy boss Luciano Spalletti said of the Newcastle United star last week. This, after previous insisting that hard-working Tonali's “engine is still roaring when he drives it back into the garage."

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The quirky, experienced manager ditched Napoli for the national side after guiding them to the Serie A title back in 2023. Naturally, no one then expected Spalletti oversee such a poor Euro 2024 campaign that came to an abrupt end with a round of 16 exit to Switzerland.

Tonali was suspended for the international competition but as Spalletti overhauls the team's style of play, average age and selection options ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the Magpies' midfielder is now at the forefront of the boss' thinking. Since returning from his lengthy ban in late August, the 24-year-old has started each of Italy's six Nations League ties, playing the entire 90 minutes in all but one.

“Sandro Tonali is immense for what he is doing," Spalletti said last month. "It is incredible, the game can last as long as he wants for him. He made two runs in the 90th minute [against Israel] with pace; a strength that is truly incredible."

After roaring back to form on the international stage, noise in his native country has only grown regarding a future return to Serie A with AC Milan. Italian football fans, pundits and the country's media seem hell bent on wishing Tonali back to the club in the coming years after what they still see as a premature exit.

Seeing the player back at the San Siro over the weekend will no doubt have added to those calls. After the clash, the midfielder 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.

“It is not something I am contemplating,” Howe said when quizzed about the speculation last month. “I am trying to build Sandro into the team after his ban. He has performed really well in 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."

Tonali's new role as Italy's new main man in midfield should excite - and will help - Newcastle - but focus must now be on becoming his club's poster boy, as well as being the golden goose for his country. He faces an uphill battle to nail down a starting spot in Howe's side given the wealth of options in the middle of the park on Tyneside but has the support of the club's fanbase, team-mates and coaching staff as he attempts to build on his impressive return to domestic action.

While we wait to see the 'real' Tonali kick on in the Premier League, it is rewarding to see the St James' Park favourite excelling for his country in recent weeks.