Man City – Manchester City are considering deals for Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson, just as Tottenham push for Tonali as their marquee signing this summer. The choice could reshape both clubs’ midfield plans, amid City’s rebuild after Pep Guardiola’s planned step dow
Manchester City are weighing up a move for Sandro Tonali — even as Tottenham insist the Newcastle midfielder is a key target for this summer. The prospect of two big clubs circling the same player is starting to feel less like a transfer rumor and more like a looming power struggle over who gets to rebuild their midfield first.
Spurs want Tonali as their marquee signing this summer, but they could face competition from City. City are working to rebuild their midfield for incoming boss Enzo Maresca after Pep Guardiola decided to step down at the end of the 2025/26 season.
Tonali. who has a contract until 2029. is expected to command a huge fee. with Newcastle unwilling to sell the Italy international. City have long been linked with Tonali. but it was initially unclear whether they would consider moving for him and Elliot Anderson in the same window. What’s changed is that City are now interested in the possibility of doing deals for both players.
That interest is being matched by Spurs’ own urgency. Tonali is one of the Premier League’s best midfielders, and De Zerbi has identified him as an ideal candidate for a role designed to improve the technical ability of the squad and to bring in a midfielder who can dictate play.
For City, the timing sits inside a broader rebuild. They need to replace Bernardo Silva. who joined Real Madrid on Wednesday on a free transfer. and there have also been reports that Rodri is wanted at the Bernabeu. All of that comes while City remain in talks with Nottingham Forest over Anderson. a transfer set to cost more than £100m. after their first bid was rejected.
The Tonali negotiations carry another layer of leverage. Tonali’s current deal was signed in 2024 while he was serving a 10-month gambling ban and does not include a release clause, putting Newcastle in a strong negotiating position.
Spurs’ push for Tonali is also shaped by their stated plans for summer recruitment. One of Spurs’ top priorities this summer is improving the technical ability of the squad and bringing in a midfielder who can dictate play. They have secured the free agent signings of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi. and they have agreed a deal to sign Jan Paul van Hecke for £52m.
City’s potential competition for Tonali also matters because midfielders are already coming at a premium. Sky Sports News reported in April that there was a general understanding that Tonali — along with Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento — may like a new challenge this summer. Gordon has already signed for Barcelona in a £69m transfer. Tonali has also previously been high on the lists of Arsenal and Manchester United.
Once Anderson’s deal is secured, City are still expected to be active. Their summer transfer plans include resolving the compensation for Enzo Maresca to become their head coach. without letting that stop them from making moves this summer. City are planning a mega-signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. with Anderson expected to cost in the region of £125m. based on Forest holding out for a British-record transfer after the £125m Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak last summer.
Even after Anderson, City still have work to do. Their plans include adding a striker and a right-back. City want to bring in another forward to support star striker Erling Haaland. with Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi on their list of targets. RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande is also liked, but there is a huge amount of competition for the 19-year-old.
For the right-back position, City have been closely monitoring Feyenoord’s Givairo Read to provide extra competition for makeshift defender Matheus Nunes. Newcastle’s Tino Livramento is another full-back City have previously been interested in.
There are also questions at goalkeeper. Back-up goalkeeper James Trafford’s future is uncertain after he had to settle for playing in the cup competitions last season following Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival on Deadline Day. If Trafford does decide to look for a first-team role elsewhere, City would need a replacement.
Underneath all of it is the same pressing problem for both clubs: who gets their midfield priority first. and how much the other side’s ambition costs them in time. money. and leverage. If City can turn interest into concrete negotiations for Tonali and Anderson. it could complicate Spurs’ plans to deliver a statement signing for De Zerbi — while also reshaping how Newcastle chooses to price its midfield star.
Sandro Tonali Manchester City Tottenham Elliot Anderson Newcastle Enzo Maresca Pep Guardiola Roberto De Zerbi Bernardo Silva Nottingham Forest transfer news