Alan Shearer makes Sandro Tonali transfer prediction after Arsenal interest

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Alan Shearer has told Newcastle that they should expect to lose their top stars like Sandro Tonali in the summer if they fail to qualify for Europe next year.

The Magpies have endured a challenging campaign, though they are still alive and kicking in the Champions League. They are 11th in the Premier League , seven points off fifth-placed Chelsea , and were beaten in emphatic fashion by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Wednesday evening.

Transfer deadline day saw Tonali linked with a surprise move to Arsenal , although the midfielder's agent quickly attempted to cool such talk. Shearer, though, expects the likes of Tonali and Newcastle's other key players to attract interest in the summer if his old club are unable to offer Champions League or Europa League football next term.

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"Sandro Tonali hasn't hit the heights he was at last season, but I guess what'll happen is, if Newcastle aren't going to qualify for Europe or be competitive in the Premier League, you'd expect other clubs will look at Newcastle and try to buy their best players," Shearer told Betfair in the wake of rumours of an Arsenal switch.

"Although it was a surprise in the January window, I think it'll happen more in the summer if Newcastle don't achieve what they have in the past few years. Top players want to play Champions League football, and we know there's no real loyalty in football - I'm not saying Tonali will do anything like that, but we know if clubs don't get into European places, other clubs will try and pick players up.

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"Newcastle have to start winning games and go far in the FA Cup and hopefully the Champions League to try and rescue what, at the minute, certainly Premier League wise, has been a disappointing return. I know we got to a semi-final and all those years ago we'd craved for that but then the money that's been spent and put into the club and where the club wants to go to, at the minute it's been disappointing."

Although Tonali's agent, Giuseppe Riso, insists he had no contact with Arsenal amid reports they were offered the Italy international's services, The Sun claim three Premier League clubs are ready to try and sign him in the summer.

Chelsea and Manchester City are the two other domestic clubs who could rival Arsenal for Tonali's services in the summer if Newcastle fail to quality for Europe.

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