City Hold Firm in Tonali Chase as Viana Plots £200m Midfield Overhaul

Manchester City are keeping the pressure on in their pursuit of Sandro Tonali this summer, with the club very much in contention to land the Newcastle star as part of an ambitious midfield reconstruction under incoming manager Enzo Maresca.

The Citizens are eyeing a £200m double swoop that would bring both Tonali and Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest to the Etihad, as they prepare for life without Bernardo Silva—who completed his free transfer to Real Madrid on Wednesday. With Rodri's future also uncertain amid reported interest from Los Blancos, City are wasting no time reshaping their engine room.

Anderson remains City's primary target, though they face a sticking point over fees. Their £120m bid has been rebuffed by Forest, who are holding firm for £125m and demanding the lion's share upfront. Nevertheless, insiders believe City will ultimately secure the midfielder's signature.

Tonali presents a different challenge, with Tottenham having made the running so far. The Spurs connection appears strong, particularly given the shared Brescia roots between the Newcastle midfielder and Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi. Transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano suggested there would be no stumbling blocks on Tonali's side, with the player actively keen on a move to North London and contract terms unlikely to prove problematic.

Newcastle are reportedly seeking around £100m for their midfielder, though a package structured at approximately £85m plus add-ons reaching the century mark may prove acceptable to the Magpies.

Tottenham would be smashing their transfer record with such an acquisition—their current highest spend stands at £65m for Dominic Solanke, including bonuses.

Yet City's appetite for Tonali remains undimmed. Sporting director Hugo Viana is giving serious thought to pursuing both midfielders, determined to construct a title-challenging outfit for Maresca's debut campaign. The Athletic reports that City face genuine competition from Spurs but are not deterred by the astronomical sums involved.

De Zerbi's admiration for Tonali is well documented, and Tottenham have made the strongest move to date. Arsenal also held talks with the player's representatives back in February, though they appear to have since moved on.

City, however, are showing no signs of backing away from the challenge.