Sandro Tonali is once again emerging as a major talking point ahead of the summer transfer window, with several of the Premier League’s biggest clubs reportedly keeping a close watch on the Newcastle United midfielder’s situation.
According to The Sun, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea have all registered an interest in the Italy international, showing his growing reputation at the top level.
Tonali, 25, has steadily reasserted his value at Newcastle United, becoming a pillar of their midfield along with Bruno Guimaraes.
His performances have not gone unnoticed, particularly by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who is believed to be a long-time admirer.
Arsenal admire Newcastle midfielder Tonali
Reports suggest Arteta views Tonali as an ideal partner for Declan Rice, with the pair potentially forming a balanced and dynamic midfield core capable of competing at the highest level.
Arsenal were even alerted to the possibility of a move on Deadline Day, though the enquiry failed to develop into anything concrete.
Pep Guardiola is understood to be a strong admirer of Tonali’s game intelligence and positional discipline and along with his teammate Tino Livramento, the Spanish manager is keen on bringing the Newcastle duo to the Etihad Stadium.
Sandro Tonali of Newcastle in action vs Man United (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Chelsea, meanwhile, are taking a more cautious approach. The Stamford Bridge club are monitoring Tonali’s situation as part of their midfield review but have yet to make any decisive moves.
Despite the mounting interest, Newcastle remain relaxed. Tonali is viewed as a central figure in the club’s long-term project, and there is no desire to part with him unless an extraordinary offer is presented.
A report from Fichajes has claimed that the Magpies have set an asking price of €80 million for the Italian midfielder.
Football pundit Paul Scholes has described the Newcastle United midfielder as a “brilliant” player.
The transfer window is now closed, so we’ve rounded up every single done deal by all 20 Premier League clubs over the last month.
It wasn’t the most memorable January transfer window, but read on for every done deal as there were some major deals done by the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.
For City, it was a pretty exciting window as Pep Guardiola moved to bring in Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth after his terrific form there in the last year and a half or so.
Meanwhile, Marc Guehi also made the move to the Etihad Stadium to fill the void left by the injured Josko Gvardiol, meaning that long-running saga came to an end a little earlier than expected, with his Crystal Palace contract only a few months away from expiring anyway.
For Arsenal, it was mostly a window of exits, as Ethan Nwaneri joined Marseille on loan, while Oleksandr Zinchenko left for a permanent move to Ajax.
Elsewhere, Conor Gallagher was a big name arrival back to the Premier League, with the former Chelsea midfielder leaving Atletico Madrid after a year and a half to join Tottenham.
Read on for our full list of done deals from this transfer window…
Arsenal
IN
None
OUT
Osman Kamara – Blackburn, undisclosed
Oleksandr Zinchenko – Ajax, undisclosed
Louie Copley – Crawley, loan
Ethan Nwaneri – Marseille, loan
Maldini Kacurri – Grimsby, loan
Aston Villa
Tammy Abraham in action for Aston Villa (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
IN
Tammy Abraham – Besiktas, £18.2m
Alysson – Gremio, £10m
Brian Madjo – Metz, undisclosed
Leon Bailey – Roma, loan recall
Douglas Luiz – Juventus, loan
OUT
Louie Barry – Stockport, loan
Samuel Iling-Junior, Pisa, loan
Ben Broggio – Falkirk, loan
Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba – West Brom, loan
Evann Guessand – Crystal Palace, loan
Aidan Borland – Swindon, loan
Sil Swinkels – Chesterfield, loan
Donyell Malen – Roma, loan with £21.6m obligation to buy
Sandro Tonali’s agent has spoken out on the transfer rumours circulating about his client today as Arsenal and Chelsea are both linked with the Newcastle midfielder.
Tonali has shone during his time at St James’ Park and links with bigger clubs won’t come as too much of a surprise, though Arsenal’s interest did come slightly out of the blue earlier today.
The Italy international’s agent Beppe Riso has now addressed the speculation, denying any talks with Arsenal so far.
The Gunners could do with adding more depth to their midfield, and Tonali is the calibre of player who could surely challenge for a place in Mikel Arteta’s side.
Sandro Tonali transfer situation explained
Sandro Tonali arrives for a Newcastle game (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Still, for now it seems like the Arsenal links have been over-egged slightly, with the player’s agent playing the stories down.
Riso did suggest, however, that this could be something he and his client look at in March.
“We will evaluate in March whether Newcastle are open to anything, but right now he is playing in the Champions League, it is not the right moment to talk about it.”
Chelsea rival Arsenal for Sandro Tonali transfer
Meanwhile, Chelsea are now also being linked with Tonali by the Sun, who also mention Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as being an admirer of the 25-year-old.
It will be interesting to see how this pans out, but Tonali may well find it easier to get more playing time at Chelsea or City than at Arsenal.
Arteta already has Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, whereas Tonali could be an upgrade on the inconsistent Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge, or the ageing and injury-prone Rodri at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City reportedly have Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca, and Cesc Fabregas as their three main candidates to replace Pep Guardiola.
According to the Telegraph, it is considered increasingly likely that this will be Guardiola’s final season in charge at the Etihad Stadium.
Some sources at Man City have seemingly denied this, but the Telegraph still suggest there are those who feel the club may already be planning for his potential replacement.
It won’t be easy for anyone to follow in Guardiola’s footsteps, with the Spanish tactician winning six Premier League titles, the Champions League and other major honours during his ten years in English football.
Manchester City looking at Xabi Alonso as potential Pep Guardiola replacement
It seems one name high up on City’s list is former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso, according to the Telegraph.
The 44-year-old was recently sacked by Real, but previously did superb work at Leverkusen, so will surely not be out of work for too long.
Xabi Alonso to Manchester City? (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
The Italian tactician did a decent job at Stamford Bridge and his dismissal perhaps looked a bit harsh, so he could be a good option to consider, as he’s also someone who’s previously worked under Guardiola.
Guardiola record
Won
Drawn
Lost
Win %
Barcelona
179
47
21
72.47
Bayern Munich
121
21
19
75.16
Manchester City
400
83
87
70.18
Cesc Fabregas an outsider for the Man City job?
The Telegraph also name an interesting possible candidate in the form of Como boss Fabregas, who is improving his reputation all the time.
The 38-year-old has over-achieved with Como and one imagines he’ll surely land a bigger job at some point, even if it arguably looks a bit soon for him to be taking on a challenge as big as replacing Guardiola.
City fans will probably be leaning towards Alonso at this stage, but also their main wish will surely be for Guardiola to stay for at least a year or two longer if possible.
Manchester City’s relationship with Kalvin Phillips appears to be nearing a decisive breaking point, with the Premier League giants now prepared to sanction his exit in the final hours of the transfer window.
Signed from Leeds United in 2022 for a fee believed to be around £45 million, Phillips’ move to the Etihad has failed to deliver on expectations, and City’s patience has now worn thin, sources close to the agents industry have informed CaughtOffside.
Despite being tied to a contract that runs until June 2028, Phillips’ standing within the squad has deteriorated sharply.
His limited game time, coupled with underwhelming loan spells away from Manchester, has significantly reduced his market value, leaving City facing a difficult balancing act between cutting their losses and finding a deal that works financially.
Man City valuation and wage complications
Sources close to the situation suggest City are willing to open negotiations at around £10 million, a stark contrast to their original investment.
There is also an acceptance that the fee could drop further if it helps facilitate a permanent exit.
The biggest stumbling block, however, remains Phillips’ salary.
Earning in the region of £150,000-£165,000 per week, the England international is priced out of contention for many potential suitors.
As a result, City may be forced to subsidise part of his wages to get a deal over the line.
Wolves’ interest centres on a loan deal that would include an option to buy, allowing them to add experience without an immediate financial outlay.
Meanwhile, Burnley are pushing hard in their fight against relegation. Burnley are the only club willing to guarantee Phillips a regular starting role, a factor that could weigh heavily in his decision-making.
For Phillips, this next move may define the remainder of his career. However, another unsuccessful spell could see his standing at the top level erode beyond repair.
Dominic Solanke has scored a stunning scorpion kick goal to make it 2-2 for Tottenham against Manchester City.
Spurs have completely turned the game around in the second half, coming back from two goals to now draw level.
Dominic Solanke inspires Tottenham comeback against Manchester City
(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Solanke was involved in the first goal, doing all the hard work before forcing Marc Guehi to put the ball into the back of his own net.
And not long later, he produced one of the best goals of the season, as he improvised a scorpion kick goal to draw Spurs level.
Following a lung-busting run down the right flank, January signing Conor Gallagher whipped a cross into the box.
The delivery was slightly behind Solanke, but the striker showed extraordinary instinct, leaning forward and flicking his trailing heel to loop the ball over a stunned Gianluigi Donnarumma.
While rare, the “scorpion” has left an indelible mark on English football history. Solanke now joins an elite club of acrobats who have successfully pulled off the audacious move.
Olivier Giroud (2017): Perhaps the most famous, the Frenchman scored a breathtaking scorpion kick for Arsenal against Crystal Palace, which went on to win the Puskas Award.
City fumble means Arsenal extend lead to six points
Manchester City’s failure to hold onto their two-goal lead has massive implications for the Premier League title race.
Following Arsenal’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s side needed a win to keep the pressure on the league leaders.
Instead, the draw in North London leaves City trailing the Gunners by six points.
With Mikel Arteta’s men finding their clinical edge again, this weekend represents a significant shift in momentum, handing the advantage firmly back to the red side of London as we head into the business end of the season.
Nottingham Forest are exploring a stunning deal to sign Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega before the January transfer deadline.
The German shot-stopper, who has been a reliable deputy for Pep Guardiola over the last few seasons, is reportedly set to leave the Etihad Stadium as he searches for regular first-team football.
With the 2026 winter window entering its final hours, Forest have emerged as the frontrunners to secure his signature.
Nottingham Forest eyeing move for Stefan Ortega
(Photo by Emilee Chinn – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are now “pushing” to finalise a deal.
According to the update, negotiations between the two Premier League clubs are already underway.
“Forest exploring deal to sign Stefan Ortega,” Plettenberg shared. “Talks are now underway with Manchester City. More teams are keen on him. Forest now pushing. Ortega is set to leave Manchester City before Deadline Day.”
?? EXCLUSIVE | Forest exploring deal to sign Stefan #Ortega.
Talks are now underway with Manchester City. #NFFC
While several clubs across Europe, including interest from Italy and Spain, have monitored Ortega’s situation, Forest’s aggressive approach suggests they are determined to add proven Premier League and Champions League experience to their ranks for the second half of the season.
Ortega has fallen down the pecking order at Manchester City
The sudden availability of Ortega follows a dramatic reshuffle in Manchester City’s goalkeeping department.
Despite signing a contract extension in 2024, Ortega has found himself effectively sidelined following a high-profile summer rebuild in 2025.
The arrivals of Italian international Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG and the homecoming of James Trafford from Burnley have reshaped the hierarchy.
With Donnarumma established as the undisputed number one and Trafford serving as the primary cup goalkeeper, Ortega has plummeted to third or even fourth choice.
At 33, the German is far too talented to remain a spectator.
Only four points separate Arsenal from Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table with 15 rounds left to play this season, and Ilkay Gundogan, who played a total of 358 matches over two spells for City, hopes Pep Guardiola’s side will manage to overtake the Gunners in the title race. ‘I hope […]
Verdict: Both teams to score Best odds: 3/4 Bookmaker: ZetBet Manchester City face a decisive Champions League league‑phase fixture on Wednesday as they welcome Galatasaray to the Etihad Stadium. City enter the final round in 11th place—level on points with several rivals but outside the top eight on goal difference—while Galatasaray sit 17th, narrowly above […]
Login
