A fresh midfield target emerges for Manchester City but could City look to sign two midfielders this summer? | OneFootball

By now it has been well established that Manchester City will move to sign another midfielder this summer. Fabrizio Romano has previously reported that City have a shortlist of two or three midfielders that they have an interest in adding to their squad this summer. Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is considered to be at the top of Manchester City’s transfer wishlist. In fact, at this stage, I’d be surprised if City didn’t sign the England international this summer. Now two new reports indicate that City is interested in signing Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. Manchester City’s reported interest in signing Tonali poses a question: Could City move to sign two midfielders in the upcoming transfer window?

Manchester City are reportedly monitoring the situation surrounding Sandro Tonali.

Fabrizio Romano has reported via his YouTube channel that Manchester City is monitoring the situation surrounding Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. On top of Fabrizio Romano’s report, a new report from TeamTalk goes into further depth on the situation surrounding City’s interest in Sandro Tonali.

Graeme Bailey has reported for TeamTalk that Newcastle United are bracing for another ‘Alexander Isak situation’. Bailey reports that Newcastle are preparing for the possibility that Sandro Tonali could push for a summer transfer.

As per Graeme Bailey’s report, there is no shortage of clubs interested in signing the Italian midfielder. Bailey reports that Manchester City, Manchester United, PSG, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool have been credited with an interest in signing Tonali. Lastly, Bailey adds that Manchester City and Manchester United are the main clubs interested in a move for Sandro Tonali.

Graeme Bailey’s report provides an in-depth look at the situation surrounding Sandro Tonali and a potential move for him from Newcastle. It is well worth a look and can be found at the link provided in the paragraph above.

Could City be in the market for two midfielders this summer?

Manchester City will need to reinforce their midfield this summer. It seems more likely than not that Bernardo Silva will depart the club this summer. There are also serious doubts surrounding the future of Mateo Kovacic. You could almost add Rico Lewis to that list, given that, outside of an ankle injury, Lewis has barely played recently. If two or all three of those players departed City, they would need to sign more than one midfielder. So perhaps the idea that City could move for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali isn’t that far-fetched.

Elliot Anderson is 23 years of age and entering the prime of his career. Sandro Tonali is 25 and in the same boat. If City were to sign both players they’d immediately lower the age of Manchester City’s midfield. Bernardo Silva and Kovacic are over 30 so a City move for the pair would alter the age profile of City’s engine room. Also, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali are two of the top shelf midfielders in the Premier League. So they’d immediately add proven quality to the City midfield.

However a move for both players wouldn’t be cheap. Nottingham Forest will not sell Anderson for a cut price transfer fee. Graeme Bailey reports that Newcastle United are set to demand around £100 million to sell one of their key players. Would City be willing to spend such a vast sum of money on two midfielders? That remains to be seen.

Final thoughts.

Manchester City have now been linked with a potential move for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. Tonali, with his elite passing ability, work rate, intelligence, and tenacity in a challenge, would be a quality addition to City’s midfield. Given that Manchester City’s interest in signing Elliot Anderson seems well-established, it now remains to be seen if City see Tonali as an alternative to Anderson or are interested in signing both players this summer.