Philippe Albert believes it was “impossible” for Newcastle United to turn down Tottenham Hotspur’s £100million offer for Sandro Tonali.

The Italian midfielder became the second-most expensive sale in the Magpies’ history after moving to North London in July.

Tonali arrived at St James’ Park from AC Milan for £55million in 2023, but saw his debut season cut short after just eight games when he was hit with a 10-month betting ban.

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He resumed his career at the start of the 2024-25 campaign, which proved to be a historic one for United as they won the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League.

Last season was far less successful, with Newcastle finishing 12th in the Premier League. Tonali was one of three key players to subsequently leave in the summer, alongside Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes, while Eddie Howe also stepped down as head coach.

While Newcastle icon Albert admits it is a concern to see the Magpies sell their best players, he believes Tottenham’s offer made it impossible to say no to Tonali’s departure.

"The biggest concern for Newcastle at the moment is that, after winning some silverware, they are beginning to sell their best players," he told Flashscore. “If you sell your best players, you have to buy even better players.

"That's not the case, but I can understand the owners when a club like Tottenham arrives and gives more than €100 million for Tonali, it's impossible to keep him.

"It's far too much money for a player like him. That's crazy. Football is crazy over the last few years. Not just around the world, but in England especially. There's so much money for average players."

Tonali was booed by Newcastle supporters during their 2-0 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in August, with many feeling let down by his departure given the club had stood by him throughout his betting ban.

The 26-year-old struggled for form before the recent international break but has played a key role in recent weeks, with Spurs drawing at Manchester United and beating both Coventry City and Chelsea