The talent was evident in flashes, yet there were persistent reports about his difficulty adapting to Howe's system (more on that later). But now, after 10 months out, the hugely talented Italian midfielder is back.
Time then to take a closer look at Tonali’s performances so far this season, and how he could be the perfect complement to Newcastle’s midfield trio.
According to our player valuation model, Tonali has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €39.5 million.
It’s a better system than last season when Tonali, at times, was forced to play deeper. It’s only been a few games this season but a steady progression of improvement has been noted, even on the international stage.
Indeed, Tonali has produced some standout performances for Italy in the Nations League, being arguably their best player in the games against Israel and in particular France, where he got an assist and ran Didier Deschamps’ men ragged in the centre of the park.
Given the season has only just begun, it’s hard to draw a hard and fast conclusion from a small pool of data but in just 65 minutes in the Carabao Cup game against Nottingham Forest, he combined five passes into the final third as well as a high volume of duels won and tackles.
While the media may continue to define Tonali by his personal life, the midfielder will surely be more determined than ever to quieten such noise with consistent performances on the pitch, leaving that dark chapter a distant memory for everyone.