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Manchester United are expected to make a "formal approach" for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali at the close of the season, as interest in the Italian international appears to have rapidly gained traction.
Tonali has been widely linked with a departure from Newcastle in recent months, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal, and Manchester City among the most frequently mentioned destinations.
The player's representative, Giuseppe Riso, denied being the source of a sensational winter Deadline Day connection with Arsenal, though he strongly hinted that Tonali could be on the move in the near future. "These transfer conversations will happen later. We'll see how the season plays out and then make a decision."
With Newcastle likely to miss out on Champions League qualification and potentially facing no European football whatsoever in 2026–27, this situation could prompt Tonali to reassess his future at the club.
The Daily Mail's Newcastle correspondent, Craig Hope, reports that Manchester United are "moving to the front of the queue" for Tonali, based on developments behind the scenes this week.
Red Devils skipper Bruno Fernandes is reportedly in favour of the pursuit, with Tonali now emerging as the "primary target" in midfield for the Manchester club this summer—previously favoured target Elliot Anderson is increasingly expected to sign for Manchester City instead. This latest report also casts significant doubt on earlier speculation linking United with Bruno Guimãraes.
Newcastle in Strong Position Over Tonali Transfer
Sandro Tonali. Magnifico. pic.twitter.com/Q2S3I5aOsl
Simply put, Newcastle hold considerable leverage. Tonali signed a contract extension during his betting ban, meaning he still has three years remaining, with the option of a fourth, on his current deal.
There is no imminent threat of free agency for Newcastle, giving the club the freedom to negotiate firmly and sell on their own terms. Given that Anderson is being discussed as a player capable of commanding a nine-figure fee, it is unlikely Newcastle would value Tonali any lower—potentially pushing Manchester United into club-record spending territory.
The existing record stands at $116.6 million (£89 million), the sum required to bring Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford from Juventus in the summer of 2016. Newcastle's ambition to turn a profit on their $76.3 million acquisition of Tonali in 2023 is also likely to drive the asking price upward.
Newcastle will be keen to avoid repeating the mistakes made in the Alexander Isak situation last summer, which caused lasting damage due to how prolonged the saga became. The club's leadership structure is also better equipped to manage such matters now. Having navigated last summer's drawn-out transfer drama without a CEO or sporting director in place, both David Hopkinson and Ross Wilson have since been brought on board.
Tonali Could Revolutionize Man Utd Midfield
Should a deal be finalised and Tonali does indeed arrive at Manchester United, the 25-year-old has every capability of becoming a standout performer at Old Trafford.
His box-to-box qualities and relentless work rate—essentially a younger version of Casemiro—would complement Kobbie Mainoo as a deep-lying playmaker, with Fernandes operating as a creative No. 10 ahead of them.
That said, building further squad depth remains a priority, particularly with United on track to return to the Champions League next season—which alone brings eight additional matches between September and January in the league phase.
Manuel Ugarte, whose playing time has decreased considerably this season, remains the only other senior central midfield option. Academy products Jack and Tyler Fletcher are still developing and largely unproven at the top level.