Tonali transfer: Why Italian could be better fit for Man Utd than Anderson

Elliott Anderson is the top target for a pack of clubs but here's why Sandro Tonali could be the perfect fit for Manchester United.

Michael Carrick identified the Nottingham Forest midfielder as his dream signing, a Premier League-proven engine who could fill the void left by Casemiro's departure and give the midfield a new identity.

But at the same time the player has shown a greater interest in joining Manchester City who have already now made a bid which has been rejected.

That battle now appears to be over — and the defeat may actually work in United's favour.

A deal between Anderson and City is effectively done, with negotiations now stepping up between the Premier League runners-up and Forest.

Anderson has reportedly reached an agreement in principle to sign for Manchester City on a contract until 2031.

City executives are aware of his preference as the Blues look to arm incoming manager Enzo Maresca with one of the most highly sought players in English football.

The fee will be substantial. Forest are using the £105 million Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023 as their benchmark in negotiations, though City's opening bid has already been turned down.

A figure in the region of £80-90 million looks the likely compromise.

With Anderson now heading to the Etihad, City's interest in Tonali effectively evaporates and there ability to push up the price.

Still, United and Newcastle remain apart on valuation — the Magpies want around £86 million while United have been willing to go to £70 million — but there is an expectation that an agreement will eventually be reached.

Tonali is believed to be open to the move, particularly as it would give him a route back into the Champions League after Newcastle finished 12th and out of European football entirely.

United are targeting three midfielders this summer, with Ederson from Atalanta already agreed at around £39 million.

Tonali has been identified as the marquee second signing — the kind of box-to-box presence who can define a midfield rather than simply fill a space in it.

Anderson is the more dynamic, forward-thinking of the two. At 23, he is a high-energy box-to-box midfielder who covers enormous ground, drives forward with the ball and contributes directly to goals.

He is ranked first among Premier League midfielders for overall involvement and activity this season — a reflection of how central he was to everything Forest did.

He presses relentlessly, arrives late into the box and has the kind of athleticism that makes him a threat in both directions.

Tonali is a different proposition entirely. He is not a deep-lying playmaker, nor a lone defensive midfielder — his strengths come out mostly in the press, applying physical strength and his ability to win the ball back off opponents.

A genuine all-rounder, Tonali can take up any role demanded of him, and has been used as a principal defensive midfielder to release teammates into box-to-box roles — covering more ground per 90 minutes than any other central midfielder in the Premier League.

Running 12.2km per 90 is not a statistic that gets headlines, but it is the kind of number that wins matches.

United already have Kobbie Mainoo — a technically gifted, progressive midfielder who carries the ball and creates.

What they lack without Casemiro is someone to do the unglamorous work alongside him: winning second balls, protecting the defence, imposing a physical presence on opposition midfields. That is Tonali's game, not Anderson's.

While Anderson made 1,535 successful passes over the past season compared to Tonali's 950 — that gap reflects their roles as much as their quality.

Anderson was Forest's most involved player; Tonali was Newcastle's defensive anchor, doing work that never shows up in the glamour statistics.