Manchester City are expected to make a move for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, despite already agreeing a deal to sign Elliot Anderson.
Newcastle value Tonali at around £100m, but that price tag does not appear to be deterring City from stepping up their interest in the Italy international.
The Telegraph report that City have already been involved in frequent contacts regarding a potential deal, with the club now expected to move more decisively in the coming period.
Tonali, who is 26 years old, has been in impressive form at Newcastle and has attracted serious attention from several top Premier League clubs this summer.
Tottenham are currently reported to be further ahead in the race for Tonali’s signature, though the Telegraph indicate that the midfielder would face a significant decision if City also formalised their interest.
BBC Sport have also reported that Arsenal are among the clubs who admire Tonali, making this one of the most competitive transfer pursuits of the current window.
That same report notes that Arsenal are also interested in Tonali’s Newcastle teammate Bruno Guimaraes, as well as Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Lille wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Manchester United have also previously been mentioned as a club to watch in the Tonali race, particularly when it appeared City were focusing their attention solely on landing Anderson.
The prospect of City pursuing both Anderson and Tonali inevitably raises questions about the long-term future of Rodri at the Etihad Stadium this summer.
It is difficult to see how all three of Rodri, Anderson, and Tonali could comfortably coexist in the same City midfield, pointing toward a potentially significant squad rebuild.
Fabrizio Romano has posted on YouTube about Real Madrid’s interest in Rodri, adding further fuel to speculation that the experienced Spaniard could be heading for the exit.
If City were to spend over £200m on Anderson and Tonali combined, it would be a strong signal that the club are planning for a future without their influential Spanish midfielder.
