The departure of club legend N’Golo Kante has been confirmed, and with the exits of Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek seemingly on the horizon, Chelsea’s midfield requires a thorough overhaul.
Enzo Fernandez, the Premier League’s record signing, has his place in the starting lineup already cemented and Mauricio Pochettino will work closely with the hierarchy to find his perfect partner.
But this process has already been complicated – Manuel Ugarte has opted to join Paris Saint-Germain, Brighton are demanding an extortionate £120m fee for Moises Caicedo and Arsenal are aiming to complete a double swoop for Romeo Lavia and Declan Rice.
The Blues may be pushed to seek alternatives and Sandro Tonali has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
What’s the latest on Sandro Tonali to Chelsea?
According to The Athletic, Newcastle has submitted a bid in the region of €50m (£43m) for the AC Milan man, but the report states that Chelsea still retains a serious interest.
It will take a monumental effort for the Blues to secure this outlandish coup as he is of insurmountable importance to the Rossoneri, and Eddie Howe’s side has the added bonuses of being able to offer a far more stable environment and Champions League football.
Who can Sandro Tonali replace at Chelsea?
The 23-year-old has made a mammoth 48 appearances in all competitions this year and has notched 12 goal contributions.
In the league, he has averaged 1.9 tackles per game and 1.8 key passes per game, as well as registering the third-best rating in the Milan squad.
In the 2020/21 season, the Italian made 36 Serie A appearances as Milan secured their first Scudetto since 2011.
Described as “extraordinary” by his former manager Eugenio Corini, the 14-cap international will captain Italy at this month’s U21 European Championship this summer.
A player of pedigree, reputation, and potential would deservedly start at Chelsea, and he could shift Conor Gallagher, who has dramatically divided opinion throughout the campaign.
In a recent interview, the Englishman said he loves Chelsea and is looking forward to working under Pochettino, all but confirming he will stay, but he is yet to convince fans of his quality or consistency.
Disappointingly, the former Crystal Palace man recorded just the 19th-highest WhoScored rating in the squad and his lack of conviction and composure on the ball has become a defining factor of his tumultuous term.
Darren Bent has described Gallagher as looking like a “fish out of water” in West London and his ability to play in a possession-based outfit is under scrutiny. Indeed, he placed 15th in the squad for pass success rate and compared to Tonali, succeeded with 1.3 tackles and just 0.6 key passes per game in the top-flight last term.
That said, even if Chelsea managed to sign Tonali, Gallagher’s athleticism and energy make him a valuable squad member, and he could be effectively utilised on a rotatory basis.
Though, with any chance of securing regular minutes surely out of the question, it would be a transfer that predominantly represents bad news for the England international with Tonali appearing to be a more attractive option that could dominate under Pochettino.