Newcastle United have now set their sights on a "Pogba-esque" midfielder, with Sandro Tonali's future at St. James' Park up in the air.
Tonali could be heading for the exit door
Newcastle's Premier League rivals are starting to queue up for Tonali ahead of the summer transfer window, with two clubs very well-placed to qualify for next season's Champions League among the potential suitors, according to reporter Alex Crook.
Crook said: "The noise around Manchester United seems to be getting a lot louder when it comes to Sandro Tonali. But I've also been told not to rule out Man City because Bernardo Silva's future is uncertain and obviously there were those quotes this week from Rodri — basically a 'come and get me' plea, it felt like, to Real Madrid.
"So if they were to lose both of those players, such as they need Elliot Anderson, that looks like his preferred option at this moment in time. They might need to sign two heavyweight midfielders. So, who knows? It could be City Vs United in the race for Tonali."
There have been suggestions there is a 'gentleman's agreement' for the Italian to leave in the summer, should the Magpies fail to reach Europe, and they have fallen way short of expectations, currently sitting in 12th place.
As such, should Eddie Howe's side fail to make a very late push for the upper echelons of the Premier League table, bringing in a replacement for Tonali may be necessary this summer, and they are now in the picture to sign a Serie A star.
Newcastle enter the fray to sign "Pogba-esque" midfielder
According to a report from CalcioMercato IT (via Sport Witness), Newcastle have now burst into the race to sign Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram, who is also being targeted by Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool.
Khephren-Thuram-Juve
In fact, Man United recently made contact about a deal for the Frenchman, but the Magpies are now in the picture for a hijack, although a deal could be relatively expensive, with the Italian side expected to hold out for a fee of at least €60m (£52m).
Juventus are currently attempting to renew the central midfielder's contract, but should the St. James' Park outfit manage to tempt them into a sale, he could be a solid replacement for Tonali.
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The 25-year-old, who has represented France on four occasions, has received plaudits from scout Ben Mattinson, who said "his ability on the ball is Pogba-esque" a little over two years ago.
Indeed, the Juventus star is comfortable in possession of the ball, having averaged 0.8 successful dribbles per 90 in the Serie A this term, which is the joint-third highest amount in the squad.
Having provided four goals and six assists in the Serie A last season, Thuram is clearly also capable of contributing in attack, and Newcastle should pursue a move if Tonali moves on this summer.