Manchester City look to sign Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson
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Manchester City are preparing to spend on a scale nobody else in this window looks willing to match, with massive changes afoot at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola’s departure has been confirmed after a decade in charge, and Enzo Maresca is expected to succeed him once his compensation is agreed with Chelsea.
Bernardo Silva has left for Real Madrid on a free, and Rodri’s future is unresolved, the Spaniard is in the final year of his deal, is away at the World Cup, and will not make his decision until the tournament is over.
City have offered him a new contract and are desperate to keep him, but as things stand he has not committed.
Now, to replace the pair, The Athletic reports that City are giving genuine consideration to signing two midfielders who, between them, would cost north of £200 million.
Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson partnership on the cards for Manchester City
The Citizens are looking at Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali while pressing ahead with their pursuit of Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson.
For United supporters, the names will sting as both have spent time on United’s radar this year.
United monitored Anderson through the spring and, opened talks with Tonali’s representatives via an intermediary.
In both cases the price did the talking as Newcastle and Forest each want something close to £100 million, and United decided that, on the fee, and on Tonali’s wages, the maths did not add up. City, it seems, have no such reservations.
However, while Manchester United have seemingly backed down from the pair, Tonali is still wanted elsewhere.
Tottenham have held productive talks with his camp and, under Roberto De Zerbi, want him as their marquee signing, the strongest move anyone has made for him so far.
His representatives also spoke to Arsenal back in February, however City are very much in the conversation, and the Athletic stresses they have not been put off by the sums involved.
Anderson is the more advanced of the two pursuits as City remain in talks with Forest over what is a potential British-record deal, and the move does not hinge on what happens with Tonali. The pair are being chased in parallel, not as alternatives.
However, there is a long way to run on both. The competition for Tonali is real, and Forest will not let Anderson go cheaply.
But the direction of travel is clear, City are rebuilding their midfield for a new era and will pay what it takes.
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