Newcastle United central midfielder Sandro Tonali looks set to be involved in this summer's drawn-out transfer saga at St. James' Park, after Alexander Isak last year.
Manchester United are reportedly already in talks to sign the Italy international from the Magpies this summer in a deal that could reach up to £100m.
Premier League leaders Arsenal were linked with an interest in the former AC Milan captain earlier in March, which suggests that there could be some competition for his signature.
Sandro Tonali Newcastle-1
It now remains to be seen whether or not the Magpies will be able to keep hold of Tonali when the summer transfer window opens, as at least two huge clubs are keen to take him away from Tyneside.
The Isak saga with Liverpool, though, is proof that Newcastle will not allow the Italian star to leave without a fight, as the Swedish striker left for a British record fee of £125m.
Newcastle identify replacement for Sandro Tonali
Newcastle may still regret that they sold Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest for £35m in the summer of 2024 to help with their PSR situation, as he was an academy graduate and represented pure profit.
elliot-anderson-nottingham-forest
He has since gone on to become an England international and is being linked with moves to Manchester City and Arsenal ahead of the summer.
Anderson, who has produced two goals and two assists in 31 Premier League games this season, could have been the ideal replacement for Tonali, but the Magpies may have to settle for signing their next version of the English star.
According to Calcio Mercato, Newcastle United are one of the teams eyeing up a potential swoop to sign Khephren Thuram from Juventus in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that the central midfielder has had approaches from several English clubs, and goes on to name Manchester United, Liverpool, and Newcastle.
Khephren-Thuram-Juventus
It adds that the Magpies could make a move for the France international if they cash in on Tonali, having identified him as a possible replacement for the Italian.
Calcio Mercato also reveals that Juventus would prefer to keep hold of Thuram and that it would take an offer of around £52m to convince them to part ways with the 25-year-old star.
Why Thuram would be Newcastle's next Anderson
Newcastle should push to win the race to sign the French star because his performances in the Serie A this season suggest that he would be a dream replacement for Tonali and Eddie Howe's next version of Anderson.
Elliot Anderson for Nottingham Forest
As aforementioned, the Forest midfielder has emerged as an England regular thanks to his displays in the Premier League this season, producing four goal contributions and winning 55% of his duels.
Thuram, meanwhile, has registered two goals and two assists and won 55% of his duels in the Serie A with Juventus as a central midfielder, after he scored four goals and provided five assists in the Italian top-flight in the 2024/25 campaign.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a "one-man army" in midfield and his statistics for Juventus in the Serie A this season back up that claim.
Thuram is the kind of midfielder who can impact games at both ends of the pitch with his qualities in and out of possession, much like Anderson is for Forest in the Premier League.
25/26 league season Thuram Anderson
Appearances 28 31
Goals 2 2
Assists 2 2
Dribble success rate 61% 52%
Tackles per game 2.0 2.9
Ground duel success rate 57% 54%
Aerial duel success rate 48% 59%
The French star can do a bit of everything in the middle of the park for Juventus, scoring goals, assisting goals, making tackles, winning duels, and completing dribbles.
Like Anderson, Thuram is dominant in his ground duels and makes two tackles per game on average in the league, but he also provides quality in possession to go along with his defensive work.
Khephren-Thuram-Juve
Tonali, meanwhile, has zero goals and two assists and has won 54% of his duels in 29 appearances in the Premier League this season for Newcastle so far, whilst he has only averaged 1.0 tackles per game.
These statistics suggest that Thuram would be an upgrade on Tonali, as Anderson also would be, because he offers more of a goal threat, more defensively, and wins a similar percentage of his duels in midfield.
Therefore, the Magpies should look to edge ahead of their rivals in the race to sign Thuram from Juventus in the summer because he could be the perfect signing for Howe's midfield.
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