Chelsea are plotting an audacious swoop for the transfer of Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, according to Football Insider.
After joining the Magpies in 2023, the former AC Milan midfielder was hit with a 10-month ban. Still, since making his return in August 2024, he has been impeccable in the middle of the park for Eddie Howe’s side, playing an instrumental role in the Magpies’ historic Carabao Cup triumph.
This season, the Italian midfielder has been an indispensable figure in the middle of the park, featuring in all but one of Newcastle’s Premier League games while providing four assists in 25 games across all competitions. His combative style, alongside Bruno Guimaraes’, has drawn keen admiration not just from pundits but also from clubs now looking to sign him.
One of the clubs considering a move for Tonali is Chelsea, according to Football Insider, which claims the London giants have a ‘firm interest’ in the 25-year-old and are now closely monitoring him ahead of a possible move.
Combative midfielder
Amid concerns regarding Romeo Lavia’s incessant injuries and Andrey Santos’ form, the report adds that the Blues are exploring several midfielders to reinforce their squad next summer and have expressed interest in the Italian international as a viable option given his Premier League experience.
However, Newcastle are keen on retaining Tonali at St James’ Park, according to the report, so it’ll likely take an audacious offer above his £65m Transfermarkt valuation from Chelsea to change their stance.
The Club World Cup champions already possess an array of midfielders in their squad, including Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo, and Reggie Walsh, who became the club’s youngest European starter aged 16 years and 200 days and is highly regarded at Cobham.
However, they may benefit from greater depth, as injuries to Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo have led to right-back Reece James playing in defensive midfield in several games.
Hence, a move for Tonali makes sense, as he’s proven to be one of the best central midfielders in the league. The Italian is a tenacious, combative midfielder who is equally efficient on the ball and, at 25, would bring much-needed experience to the Blues’ young squad.
