Newcastle Close to £60 Million Agreement for Midfielder Once Dubbed ‘The New Andrea Pirlo’

After qualifying for Champions League football, it appears that Newcastle United are looking to upgrade their midfield. The Magpies’ current biggest target is 23-year-old Italian Sandro Tonali. The Athletic reports that Newcastle and AC Milan are close to an agreement for a fee in the region of £60 million.

Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali Move Almost Finalised

What Kind of Player is Sandro Tonali?

Over the past two seasons, Tonali has proved to be a versatile player that can comfortably compete at the top level. While he was more of a playmaker in his younger years, the Italian is now an all-around midfielder. He possesses both the physical and technical capabilities to take on almost any role in the centre of the pitch.

In his time at Milan, Tonali has mainly played as a defensive midfielder in a double pivot. Though more of a lone regista in his time at Brescia, he’s turned the new role into his own, contributing heavily in both the attacking and defensive phases of the game. This season he raked up a total of two goals and nine assists, while also leading the entire Champions League in big chances created.

When out of possession, he can be characterised as a hard-working ball-winner, with the young midfielder drawing comparisons to Gennaro Gattuso.

How Would Tonali Fit Into Newcastle’s Team?

For Tonali, a move to Newcastle would be a return to his three-man midfield roots. The young Italian, who was once dubbed “the new Andrea Pirlo”, would likely slot into the lineup as the sole defensive midfielder. This could give Bruno Guimãres the license to play higher up as a number eight, and add quality depth to Newcastle’s talented midfield.

While already playing in an attacking, high-pressing system, Tonali will likely have an easy time adapting to Eddie Howe’s style of play. As we wait and see how the deal pans out, there is no doubt that Newcastle signing Sandro Tonali would be a highly beneficial move.