Manchester City have joined the battle to sign Sandro Tonali, with new boss Enzo Maresca eager to hit the ground running at the Etihad. The FA Cup and Carabao Cup winners have retained an interest in the Newcastle midfielder, with sources close to Tonali's management team describing Man City as genuine candidates to lure him from Tyneside.
Spurs' bid rejected as Newcastle hold out for £100m
Tottenham Hotspur had an £80 million bid rejected by Newcastle this month, with the Magpies wanting a fee closer to £100 million for his services. Tonali has agreed a wage structure in principle with Spurs of £275,000 per week and a lucrative six-year deal, which will also see his agency GR Sports pick up a 10% cut of the fee. Man City could easily match those terms.
City are in the market to replace Portugal star Bernardo Silva and want cover for Spain ace Rodri, with Tonali a target during the Pep Guardiola era too. Man City have just splashed out £116 million for Geordie boy Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest but have the capacity to make another major swoop and sign Tonali.
Arsenal turn to Bruno Guimaraes after Tonali deal stalls
The ex-AC Milan star was offered to Arsenal, but the Gunners were put off by his wage demands and the eye-watering agent fees that came with the deal. For now, Arsenal have turned their attention to Bruno Guimaraes, with the Brazil star, who jetted off for the World Cup without signing a new deal.
Spurs will still feel they are in the driving seat when it comes to Tonali, but the lure of a hungry Man City outfit keen to retain their title from Arsenal will be a huge temptation for the Italy star. Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi is believed to have a close relationship with Giuseppe Riso, Tonali's agent, who has never shied away from suggesting he could quit Newcastle.
Agent's comments and Newcastle's stance
Speaking in March, Riso said on a possible exit from Tyneside to potentially Arsenal or Manchester City: “Exactly, that was the goal from the moment he went to England – to try to make him a star player. I think he’s the Italian footballer with one of the highest values in the world. The deal came about because a club like Newcastle, with unlimited financial resources, had decided to invest in Sandro. We considered the idea of having the player play in a higher-level league.”
When asked if Newcastle would sell Tonali this summer, CEO David Hopkinson said three months ago: "We think through what players might or might not want to do this summer. But if an Isak-like scenario presents itself again, any player under contract is going to leave on our terms and we’re going to maximise the opportunity that might represent for the club."
