Links between Manchester United and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali have been coming out at a steady rate in recent days, with rumors indicating that he is a top target for the Reds in the summer transfer window.
Tonali was linked with United on Friday by Fabrizio Romano, who claimed he was highly rated along with Elliot Anderson as midfield targets for the summer. Anderson is also a target for rivals Manchester City, and United may face fierce competition to land the Nottingham Forest man.
Tonali,
25, has been with Newcastle United since 2023, joining from AC Milan for a reported fee of around €70 million. The Tyneside outfit are all but out of competition for the UEFA Champions League qualification spots, and will be hard-pressed to qualify even for Europa League or Conference League at this rate. The absence of European football may compel Tonali to seek a move elsewhere, and if United can wrap up a Top 4 spot, Old Trafford could prove an attractive destination for him.
Tonali is not a replacement for Casemiro and what the Brazilian offers in midfield. He has traits of a box-to-box player with a keen eye for crashing the box or finding a shot from distance as well as pushing the ball forward in transition. These traits could make him a good fit for Michael Carrick’s setup, should the interim boss stick around on a more permanent basis.
Where United would still need to look is someone to tick the boxes in winning back possession and playing forward passes. Tonali offers that as a ball carrier, but not so much in the defensive realm as his current teammate, Bruno Guimaraes, does.
