Don't sign him — Ex-Arsenal star warns Arteta over £80M target

The Spaniard has warned Mikel Arteta against pursuing Sandro Tonali from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, despite growing links with the Italian midfielder.

Reports suggest Newcastle could demand as much as £80m or more for the 26-year-old, who has impressed since joining the Magpies and remains under contract until at least 2029.

Monreal believes signing Tonali would create a major selection headache in central midfield and could ultimately force Arsenal to sell one of their star players.

“If Arsenal buys Tonali, they will get the best midfielder in the world,” Monreal said in an interview with Rekatochklart.

“But they signed Zubimendi for a lot of money last year, so it’s difficult. To have both Tonali, Zubimendi, and Rice would be a lot, so I can only imagine that they would have to sell either Zubimendi or Declan Rice if they really want Tonali.

“In my opinion, they already have the two best defensive midfielders in the world.”

Arsenal signed Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad for £55m last summer, and his arrival allowed Declan Rice to transform into the league's best defender.

However, Tonali is widely regarded as the next best thing in that position, and it remains to be seen how the transfer saga unfolds.