Manchester United’s midfield rebuild could be very difficult, with Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali still firmly on their radar despite the club’s renewed push to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson.
According to reports in Italy, United do not see these players as an object or situation.
Instead, Gianluca Di Marzio has suggested that Michael Carrick’s side are still interested in Tonali even though they are also making significant progress on Ederson’s deal.
The idea is simple: United need more than one new midfielder this summer, especially with Casemiro set to leave at the end of the season.
Man United have gained momentum to sign the Newcastle midfielder
There is also an interesting twist involving Tonali’s Newcastle future. Back in March, it was reported that the Italian midfielder had a “gentleman’s agreement” with Newcastle, which would allow him to leave if the club failed to qualify for Europe and a big club approached him.
That deal has resurfaced in new reports, putting his status under close scrutiny.
Man United are heavily linked with Tonali and Ederson.
Reports from Italy claim United are confident they can complete a double midfield move, with Ederson expected to cost around £43m-£50m and Tonali potentially more expensive.
That tells you a lot about United’s mindset. Carrick doesn’t just want to replace Casemiro with one player and call it a day. He seems to be looking for a complete change in midfield.
Casemiro’s departure creates a huge gap in terms of experience, personality and defensive presence, but United’s midfield also needs more strength, control and legs for a while.
Tonali will deliver a different kind of quality. He’s not just a destroyer, and he’s not just a passer.
At his best, he gives power, aggression, continuity of the ball and the ability to control the tempo.
Maybe that’s why his name keeps coming up next to Bruno Guimaraes and other high quality midfield gems.
Magpies are expected to demand Tonali’s fee
The biggest problem, of course, is the price. Newcastle are unlikely to make this easy. Some reports say United could look at a deal worth €75m-€100m, while others suggest Newcastle’s true price could be even higher.
Fabrizio Romano also stated that United consider the operation to be too expensive, especially when taking into account the wage demands.
However, Newcastle’s failure to qualify for Europe could change the player’s status.
If Tonali can really get along with the club, and if he wants Champions League football, United may feel they have an opportunity to test Newcastle’s resolve.
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