Tonali changes as Newcastle and Man Utd both look for ‘extraordinary athlete’ instead

Sandro Tonali may be dreaming of bigger and better things this summer, but both current club Newcastle and champions Manchester United are now eyeing the La Liga star as his replacement.

Newcastle and Man Utd are targeting stadium additions

There is plenty of drama to come in the Premier League this summer. Many sides need major strengthening, and Newcastle are near the top of that list following such a disappointing campaign.

After losing Alexander Isak for a record fee, the Magpies brought in Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa – only the forwards couldn’t make a difference. Now, a year later, they are facing more exit problems.

Anthony Gordon is likely to leave amid interest from Bayern Munich and Barcelona. The pair have been in contact with Newcastle over a potential move.

Tonali, on the other hand, is one to watch. He has caught the attention of Man United as the Red Devils aim to complete the rebuilding of the stadium. A move to Old Trafford will give him the chance to play Champions League football, something Newcastle can no longer offer.

That doesn’t mean he’s the only one on the INEOS shortlist. According to SportsBoom, Man United will now look for Javi Guerra in a new way to Tonali this summer. The Spaniard is attracting a lot of attention at the moment and will be available for just €40m (£35m) in the coming months.

That may be Tonali’s dream for Man United, but his problems don’t stop there. SportsBoom also reported that Newcastle are in the race to sign Guerra, who will challenge the midfielder for his place at St James’ Park.

“Extraordinary athlete” Guerra will take the Premier League by storm

Guerra won’t steal the same headlines as Elliott Anderson or, indeed, Tonali this summer, but he could have a similar impact. Called a “extraordinary athlete” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, the midfielder is just 23 years old and is on the radar of several impressive clubs for good reason.

As an alternative to Tonali, Guerra wouldn’t offer the same off-hand defensive power, but he would provide more agility going forward. This will only add to the busy frontline created by Michael Carrick at Old Trafford or eventually lead to Newcastle.

The Magpies have had nothing going forward since Isak left. The arrival of a major new creator in Guerra could finally change that. Whether that comes at Tonali’s expense remains to be seen, however.

Read next: Newcastle open talks to sign £30m striker