Following Mikel Merino’s injury which is set to require surgical intervention and a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Arsenal looked to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United as cover in the winter transfer window but saw their attempts thwarted.
While Mikel Arteta’s side is expected to go for the Italian international’s services once again during the summer, The Sun has reported that they face competition from Chelsea, who are hoping to scupper their rivals’ deal before the start of next season.
Newcastle United could look to leverage from a bidding war between the two London rivals later this year to charge a premium for the £65m-rated player, although their initial asking price for the former AC Milan star’s services is yet to be determined.
Tonali likely to head to Chelsea
Chelsea have room for better depth and quality in midfield as Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo have played extensively this season without much rest. Plus, with the Argentine linked with Real Madrid, they would want a solid option in their engine room.
Sandro Tonali might pick Stamford Bridge as his next destination over Arsenal, especially because Mikel Arteta is already set on his deeper-lying options in midfield in Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, whilst Mikel Merino is also a brilliant back-up.
Tonali could play regular minutes with the Blues right from the word go given that his box-to-box attributes, especially his strong defensive work rate will provide Liam Rosenior with a trump card in midfield amid Romeo Lavia’s fitness concerns.
Arsenal may yet look to convince him to join them over Chelsea but a switch to the league leaders comes at the risk of reduced game time, and at 25 years of age in a key phase of his career, it is unlikely Tonali would want to face the uncertainty.
