Manchester United midfield transfer targets now include Sandro Tonali, with the club among several in the Premier League still planning at least one central midfield signing this summer. The market is being pulled by Elliot Anderson’s imminent £116m move, which is expected to reset the price clubs are willing to pay.
Tonali sits in the middle of that scramble. He has three years left on his contract, and a contract worth more than £275,000 per week would be ready and waiting for him to sign if a deal can be reached.
Sandro Tonali And The £80m Rebuff
Last week, Spurs made an offer of almost £80m for Tonali and Newcastle rejected it immediately. He is believed to be ready to sign for the North London club if the clubs can agree a fee, while Sky Sports News has been told he is keen to play for De Zerbi.
That is why United’s place on the list matters. Tonali is also being monitored by Man City, and he has been on the lists at Arsenal and United, so one player is now sitting across several separate negotiations rather than a single chase.
Arsenal, United And Bruno Guimaraes
Arsenal have a long-term interest in Tonali but have not followed it up this summer. Their work on Bruno Guimaraes has moved further on: they are exploring the conditions of a deal, contact has been made through intermediaries, and an informal proposal was rejected.
Newcastle have not had any direct contact from Arsenal so far, but they do want to sell Guimaraes. He has two years remaining on his contract and turns 29 in November, which keeps the asking price conversation tightly linked to the wider midfield market.
Manchester City And The Market
Elliot Anderson’s fee is the pivot. Two years ago, Newcastle sold him to Nottingham Forest for £35m, and now his imminent £116m transfer to Manchester City from Nottingham Forest is expected to set the benchmark for other midfield valuations.
That leaves the same summer question sitting over United and the rest of the Premier League: whether Manchester United will make a direct move for any of the named midfield targets this summer is not answered, but the pricing model for those deals is already shifting around Anderson’s fee.
