Man City poised to launch £69m Newcastle United transfer raid amid 'could accept offer' claim

Manchester City will be looking to rebuild this summer after what has been a disappointing season in the Premier League, with Pep Guardiola hoping his side can finish in a Champions League spot.

It was announced this month that midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will leave the club at the end of the season due to his contract expiring in June. City aren’t going to offer him a new deal after a 10-year spell, and will need to look for a replacement for the Belgian.

Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes has been previously linked with a move to the Etihad, however, fresh reports are suggesting that City could target one of his teammates this summer instead.

Man City tipped to sign Tonali

Sando Tonali has been one of the best midfielders in the Premier League this season, helping Newcastle to get back in contention for a Champions League spot for next year. He’s made 40 appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals and providing three assists. A fresh report by Caught Offside has suggested that Tonali has indicated that he could be open to leaving St James’ Park this summer, and that Man City are keeping an eye on Tonali’s situation.

They report that Newcastle want to keep the 24-year-old, but they could be tempted to accept offers in the region of £69 million for him, should any buying club be prepared to offer that sort of figure.

The Magpies signed the Italian in 2023 for a fee of £50.4m, and he has since been one of their best players under Eddie Howe, playing a box to box role as a deeper playmaker. He wouldn’t be a direct swap for De Bruyne, but Tonali’s creative ability could help to fill the void that the Belgian will leave in City’s midfield.

Tonali described as “one of the best” in Europe

It feels as though Tonali is an experienced, mature midfielder, which makes it almost surprising that he is still only 24 years old. He has already won a trophy with Newcastle, played for them in the Champions League, and made 23 appearances for the Italian national team. Being one of their key players this season, the Italian has received a lot of praise from pundits and managers. Eddie Howe is currently off work as he is recovering from pneumonia, so Newcastle assistant Jason Tindall is acting as the manager.

Tindall said ahead of Newcastle’s 2-1 win against Brentford: “Sandro has delivered some fantastic performances. With the type of player and professional he is – the sort of attitude he has – there is no ceiling for him. He is one of the best midfielders in Europe based on his form.

“There’s still more to come. When you see him from when he first came to now, there’s been huge growth in him as a player. The demands we set for the players, there’s always room for improvement.”

In other news, Man Utd 'launch £69.5m bid' to sign Premier League star who Man City boss Pep Guardiola 'loves'.