Manchester City find themselves in the midst of a classic transfer waiting game as several clubs await where the dominoes fall. Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali now finds himself a surprise target for Tottenham Hotspur this summer.
City's Midfield Priority
Manchester City find themselves trapped in an ultimate stand-off on just the second day of the summer transfer window. Since the start of the summer, we have known one thing for certain about City's plans - the Blues need to sign a midfielder to replace Bernardo Silva.
Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson is the top target for that position but, as is to be expected, City have other names on their radar. One of those is believed to be Newcastle's Sandro Tonali. Like Anderson, Tonali deserves to be playing Champions League football next season and has been heavily linked with a move.
Our colleagues at Chronicle Live believe Newcastle would not consider selling Tonali for anything less than £100m and City are one of the teams weighing up a move. City could sign more than one midfielder this summer given doubts over the future of Nico Gonzalez and others in the middle of the park, and any potential move for Tonali would not be dependent on what happens with the prospective Anderson transfer.
But it's highly unlikely the Blues would shell out north of £200million on two central midfielders this summer and Anderson remains the priority.
Tottenham's Surprise Interest
However, Tottenham's surprise decision to join the race for Tonali throws a curveball at City. It is widely understood Roberto De Zerbi wants Tonali to form part of his rebuild and while last season means Spurs are not favourites for his signature, this interest changes the complexion of their interest in Savinho.
City's Brazil international struggled to make an impact on Pep Guardiola's team since he arrived in 2024. There has since been long-term interest from Tottenham in Savinho and the 22-year-old's social media activity suggests he was open to that move.
A £60m bid for the winger would get the deal done. City would be more than happy with that too, considering the forward has plenty of potential.
While he has not realised that at the Etihad Stadium, City worked hard to get him to the club in the first place, using their affiliates Troyes and Girona to help make the deal happen. The £60m valuation would give them a tidy profit and reflects the investment in the player.
Potential Domino Effect
Spurs are pursuing both Tonali and Savinho and it remains to be seen if they are able to conclude deals for both. A Tonali exit also opens up the prospect of Newcastle making a move for City keeper James Trafford.
While at the World Cup this week, Trafford admitted he may need to seek regular first team football if he is to achieve his international ambitions. The City academy graduate returned to the Etihad Stadium this summer believing he would be No.1, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma to arrive and change things entirely.
Despite being second choice at City, Trafford's performances in the FA and Carabao Cups mean he would still set Newcastle back around £40m, should they want him. Again, for a club without European football next season, this would constitute a big chunk of their overall spend.
However, with Tonali money in the bank, this could encourage Newcastle to make their move for Trafford. The only thing clear for City at the moment is that this could play out multiple ways.
Right now, there is more conjecture than clarity. But, City will be on red alert to see how this saga plays out and who makes the first move.
