Italy international Sandro Tonali has chosen the Number 8 jersey at Newcastle United, continuing his career-long tribute to Milan hero Gennaro Gattuso.
The Magpies confirmed their squad numbers for the 2023-24 season today and Tonali was pictured with the 8 on his back.
It is the same number that he had chosen when he first joined Milan from hometown club Brescia in the summer of 2020.
At the time, he had confirmed that it was in tribute to his favourite player growing up, Milan star Gattuso.
Although early comparisons were largely to Andrea Pirlo, another who went through the Rossoneri, Tonali was always adamant that his playing style was closer to that of rugged midfield enforcer Gattuso and it was Rino who truly inspired him.
He even confessed to asking Gattuso permission to take the 8.
Newcastle United paid €64m plus another €6m in bonuses to Milan, also owing the San Siro giants a 10 per cent cut of the sell-on fee.
It is a huge profit, considering the Rossoneri bought him from Brescia for a total of €19.5m.