Newcastle United made a huge splash in the transfer market after striking a deal to sign Sandro Tonali from AC Milan for an initial €70-million fee, reports transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The fee for the 23-year-old could potentially rise further based on performance-related add-ons in the transfer agreement.

The deal includes a sell-on clause that would see AC Milan potentially receive a portion of a transfer fee if Newcastle were to sell Tonali.

The Italian midfielder has already completed a medical and is expected to put pen to paper on a long-term contract until 2029 that’s worth €7 million per year, plus €2 million in potential add-ons, Romano adds. He was reportedly earning around €2.5 million per season at Milan.

All that remains is for the two clubs to announce the blockbuster transfer.

A childhood fan of Milan, Tonali realized his dream of playing for the Rossoneri in 2021 after taking a pay cut to join Stefano Pioli’s team from Brescia.

Tonali, who’s currently captaining Italy’s Under-21 team at the Euros, was a pivotal member of AC Milan’s Scudetto-winning team in 2022 before signing a new five-year contract in September.

He ends his spell in Milan with seven goals and 11 assists in 127 appearances.

The fee is around the same that Newcastle paid to make Alexander Isak their club-record signing from Real Sociedad last summer. It’s also a record fee paid for an Italian player.

At Newcastle, Tonali will be relied on heavily to help the Magpies in their return to the Champions League while trying to replicate last season’s success when the club impressively finished in fourth place.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin admits “not everything was perfect” for Manchester City and Inter Milan fans at the Champions League final in Istanbul.

City supporters reported issues with transport to the Ataturk Stadium, on the outskirts of Istanbul, prior to their team’s treble-clinching 1-0 win against Inter.

There were also complaints about a lack of toilets and limited access to water at the showpiece final on June 10.

Football Supporters Europe is gathering fan accounts from Istanbul in order to compile a report to present to UEFA.

Ceferin, speaking at the European Football Fans Congress in Manchester on Thursday, insisted this year’s final “proved UEFA had learned from past mistakes.”

But he added: “We’re well aware that in Istanbul not everything was perfect and I’m certainly not playing down the problems encountered by some.

“But let us continue working together to improve what we can improve. I’m thinking in particular of transport links, to better understanding the hosting of disabled supporters and access to water and toilets for everyone.

“I can assure you that next year’s Champions League final at Wembley and Euro 2024 in Germany will be a unique experience for fans.”

Ceferin also referenced the serious issues endured by Liverpool fans at the 2022 Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris.

Crushing outside the Stade de France sparked an independent report into the chaos, which found UEFA bore “primary responsibility” for what almost became “a mass fatality catastrophe.”

“Given what some of you experience recently, I would understand if I got a cold reception,” Ceferin said.

“I also came here to say sorry. We would love to erase events that happened last year. Everyone welcomed the decision to move the Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris and we know what happened.

“Good intentions are often not enough, we know that and we are sorry for that.”

Manchester City are losing their treble-winning captain.

Ilkay Gundogan will join Barcelona on a free transfer at the end of June after agreeing to a contract until 2025 with an option for an additional year, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The midfielder, who was also linked with Arsenal, couldn’t agree to a new deal with Manchester City because he apparently wanted a contract that would run for at least two years.

Pep Guardiola and the club’s hierarchy wanted Gundogan to remain at the Etihad Stadium. “We’re fighting for him to stay,” the City manager said Monday.

Gundogan, 32, was already hugely popular with Manchester City fans due to his intelligent play in midfield and knack for scoring timely goals, but he cemented legendary status through his exploits toward the back end of the last two seasons. The German scored twice in a three-goal comeback win over Aston Villa to clinch the 2021-22 Premier League title on the final day, then he scored vital goals during the recent Premier League run-in and struck two volleys to down Manchester United in the FA Cup final earlier in June.

Gundogan’s 7-year gold rush:

“He can do everything,” Guardiola said of Gundogan in May. “He shows leadership every training session. Arriving on time, living the job 24 hours a day. He is a guy who handles the pressure really, really well.”

Gundogan joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in 2016 for around £20 million. He was the first signing of the Guardiola era.