Man City plot £100m swoop for Premier League star to ruin rival's transfer plans

Manchester City's summer transfer business appears to be heating up as they look to follow up on securing an agreement to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.

City have agreed a British record £116 million transfer for Anderson, who underwent his medical in Kansas ahead of signing a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

Anderson is currently flourishing for England at the World Cup and is nailed on to start when the Three Lions take on DR Congo in the round of 32 on Wednesday.

But whilst the talented Englishman is drawing excitement from City fans, he isn't the only big-money transfer the eight-time Premier League champions are chasing, with reports suggesting they've entered the race for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali.

According to The Chronicle, Man City have the capacity to make another major swoop this summer once Anderson's move is made official, and the Italian international is someone firmly on their radar.

Tonali has already agreed a wage structure in principle with Tottenham of £275,000 per week, including a lucrative six-year contract, but matching Newcastle's demands is proving to be an issue.

Spurs saw an £80m bid rejected for the 26-year-old, and with the Magpies wanting closer to £100m for his services, City are seen as "genuine contenders" to lure him from Tyneside, despite already agreeing a nine-figure sum for Anderson.

Eddie Howe has perhaps accepted that Tonali will depart St James' Park this summer after three years, as the Toon are planning for life without the Italian. Newcastle were keen on a swoop for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha, but the Bundesliga giants are demanding £87m, making the Germany star out of their price range.

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Eddie Howe has compared Tonali to Andrea Pirlo

Tonali potentially joining Anderson at the Etihad Stadium is a mouth-watering prospect for City, as the Italy international has become one of the best midfielders in Europe.

Combining exceptional ball carrying and playmaking attributes, Tonali ranked in the top 18 per cent of Premier League players for chances created and the top 16 per cent for successful dribbles last season, as per FotMob.

Therefore, it is no surprise that Newcastle's No.8 has previously been likened to Italian great Andrea Pirlo, arguably one of the greatest of all-time.

That was a comparison made by Howe in December 2024, referencing his "similar" attributes to the legendary Pirlo.

"When I first saw Sandro play, there were definite links to Pirlo, without a doubt - and it's not just the hair. There's more to it than that," Howe said.

"He's definitely got those similar qualities in terms of build and style, but I think the thing that sets Sandro apart from anyone else was he could do all of those things technically and tactically, and looked really good, but it's his athleticism as well, his ability to run.

"We've seen that in recent games from a defensive viewpoint now more than an attacking viewpoint, where he's sprinting to put out fires for us, nicking balls, intercepting balls, using his athleticism to track runners. He's been excellent in that respect and think that's really helped the team.

"Yes, there are the obvious ones [comparisons] in terms of his technique and his passing and everything else, but I think that's the thing that sets him apart."

Man City are crying out for a dynamic, ball-playing midfielder to complement Anderson's relentless energy, and Tonali could be the perfect signing to offset the damage of Bernardo Silva's departure.