Newcastle is reportedly preparing a €20 million (£17.5 million) offer for Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos, as Sandro Tonali faces a lengthy ban. Eddie Howe had bolstered his midfield with the signing of Tonali from AC Milan during the summer. However, with Tonali now facing suspension for illegal gambling, the club may need to seek another central midfielder. Spanish media suggest that Ceballos is being considered as a potential replacement, but some view this rumor as a convenient story generated by the media due to Tonali’s impending ban.
Ceballos, who is 27 years old and has prior experience in the Premier League from his loan spells at Arsenal, is currently struggling to secure playing time at the Santiago Bernabéu. He is eager to move elsewhere to gain regular first-team minutes and work towards a return to the national team setup. While this could be a beneficial move for all parties involved, the prospect of Newcastle spending £17.5 million on a short-term solution seems questionable. Some might find this report more credible if it mentioned the possibility of a loan deal instead.