Man United eye Serie A winner as back up option for Elliot Anderson

Manchester United have reportedly registered their interest in signing Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali as a premium backup option, driven by mounting fears that they will lose their primary midfield target, Elliot Anderson, to bitter rivals Manchester City. 

The Red Devils are attempting to execute a massive midfield rebuild ahead of the summer window, seeking elite replacements for Casemiro, whose contract expires at the end of the current season, and the out-of-favour Manuel Ugarte.

While 23-year-old Nottingham Forest star Anderson is INEOS's first choice, Pep Guardiola's side are reportedly already in advanced talks to hijack the deal. 

With Forest demanding a staggering fee between £80 million and £100 million for the English midfielder, United are refusing to be caught empty-handed and are actively working on a deal for Tonali should their pursuit of Anderson officially collapse, according to Football Inside.

The Red Devils’ recruitment team view Tonali, who famously lifted the 2021/22 Serie A title during his time at AC Milan, as the ideal tactical fit to anchor their midfield in Casemiro's absence. 

However, treating the 25-year-old Italian international as a contingency plan will not make him a cheaper alternative. 

Tonali originally joined the Magpies in the summer of 2023 for £55 million and signed a deal running until 2028, but later, ‘secretly’ agreed to a restructured extension during his 10-month betting suspension that ties him to St. James' Park until 2029, with a club option for 2030, according to the BBC.

Because Newcastle hold total contractual leverage and view him as fundamentally indispensable, they are reportedly demanding an astronomical minimum transfer fee of £100 million before they will even consider coming to the table.