Manchester United are on the lookout for a midfielder to sign in the summer transfer window and club legend Paul Scholes would likely approve of their latest target
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MARCH 10: Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona at St James' Park on March 10, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Sandro Tonali has been added to Manchester United's shortlist(Image: George Wood, Getty Images)
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Manchester United have reportedly added Newcastle star Sandro Tonali to their shortlist of midfield options for the summer transfer window. United will be in the market for at least one top-level midfielder this summer and have been linked with a whole host of players.
Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, Brighton's Carlos Baleba, Al-Hilal's Ruben Neves and Bournemouth duo Tyler Adams and Alex Scott are all of interest to United as the summer approaches.
United know they will lose Casemiro at the end of June, with the veteran [confirming he will leave on a free transfer](https:// https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/casemiro-man-united-exit-confirmed-36598523). They chose to bolster their forward line last summer, spending £200million on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, and now need to focus on the midfield.
Tonali is under contract with Newcastle until June 2029, with the option of a further year, and is one of the club's star players, having joined for £55m from AC Milan in July 2023. But he has been unsettled recently, with his agent Giuseppe Riso stirring the pot last month after reports Tonali had been offered to Arsenal in January.
“We’ll evaluate and decide what to do in the summer. These transfer discussions will take place later. We’ll see how the season ends and then we’ll decide what to do," Riso told Tuttosport. “There’s no preference at the moment. It’s still early."
The Sun reports that United have joined the list of clubs interested in Tonali, who could push for an exit from Newcastle if they don't qualify for European football next season. The Magpies sit 12th in the Premier League and are level at 1-1 with Barcelona ahead of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next week.
United's interest in Tonali would appeal to club legend Paul Scholes, who earlier this season declared him the best midfielder in the Premier League, ahead of the likes of Arsenal's Declan Rice and Chelsea's Moises Caicedo.
Paul Scholes speaking on a podcast
Paul Scholes is a big fan of Sandro Tonali(Image: YouTube/The Good, the Bad and the Football Podcast)
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Asked on The Overlap who the best midfielder in the Premier League is, Scholes referenced Caicedo and Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister before stating: "I love Sandro Tonali as well. He's been brilliant. Very good. I would probably choose Tonali at this point."
Asked again if he was saying Tonali is the best midfielder in the league, Scholes added: "Yes, you're going to say Declan Rice but I think he's better than Rice. I really like Rice, don't get me wrong, I think he's got everything.
"Sometimes he takes a few too many touches of the ball and tries to look a bit more stylish than necessary. He can do everything but I just don't think he does it enough. I prefer Tonali but they're both good players."
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