According to Gazzetta Dello Sport(via MCFC Watch), Manchester City are mulling over a move for Italy’s teenage sensation Sandro Tonali in the upcoming January transfer window. The Brescia starlet has caught the eye recently, thanks to his remarkable performances in the Serie B this season.
In fact, Transfermarketweb claim City are weighing up a €20 million bid for the 18-year-old, who has been touted as the next Andrea Pirlo. But is he really worth the fuss?
Sandro Tonali: Player profile
Tonali has got off to a splendid start this season, having initially impressed in the Under-19 Championships last summer. The 18-year-old has scored one goal and assisted four more, helping Brescia maintain their stance at the top half of the league table.
The Italian is mainly recognized as a central midfielder, who excels in carrying the ball in the middle third and distributes the ball all around the park. His positional awareness coupled with his composure on the ball enables him to thrive even in tight spaces, which tunes in perfectly with Pep Guardiola’s Juego de posicion.
However, Tonali’s overall gameplay is not just limited to passing as he also tends to spite forward at regular intervals in an attempt to occupy the defenders as well as looking to find a key pass in the final third. And he’s quite effective at that too, having registered four assists already this season.
That being said, the 18-year-old struggles in the physical aspect of the game and having a 1.73m stature clearly doesn’t help.
Should Manchester City go for Tonali?
Sandro Tonali is certainly an exciting option for Manchester City, who are eager to sign long-term replacements for both David Silva and Fernandinho.
The Brescia starlet has shown tremendous promise this season and most importantly, his style of play could potentially make him a guaranteed hit under the leadership of Guardiola. He is proficient in terms of ball distribution while his immaculate control on the ball is an ideal trait for a central midfielder like him.
That being said, Tonali barely has any experience at the highest level of football, despite bagging a lot of potential. In fact, he is yet to make any top-flight appearances in any of Europe’s top league and his only experience of the international stage came in the under-19 level which is understandable given he is taking the initial steps into the limelight.
But splashing the cash on such an inexperienced individual could prove to be a huge gamble for the defending champions especially when there are better and more accomplished players available in the market, including Ajax superstar Frenkie de Jong.
Data courtesy: Transfermarkt