Man City plot mega £190m transfer moves for Sandro Tonali AND Elliot Anderson as Pep Guardiola seeks to rebuild midfield

Man City sporting director Hugo Viana is spearheading a dramatic transformation of the club’s midfield. With players expected to depart this summer, City have identified Newcastle's Tonali and Nottingham Forest star Anderson as the ideal candidates to refresh the squad, according to TEAMtalk. The combined cost for the pair is expected to reach £190m. While Anderson has long been on the radar for a £90m move, interest in Tonali has intensified. The Italian international is valued at £100m, a price tag that effectively rules out a return to Serie A and leaves the door open for City to pounce.

The urgency behind these moves stems from the uncertain futures of key personnel. Indeed, Rodri is viewed as a target for Real Madrid, while Silva is also expected to move on. Indeed, talks over a new deal at City have been put on hold, with both sides assessing the situation and being increasingly open to a possible departure. To that end, Rodri himself made it clear this week that a move to the Bernabeu would appeal to him, with his past allegiances to Atletico Madrid having no consequence to him.

When asked about the possibility of joining the 15-times European champions, Rodri said, per Onda Cero: "I have one year left on my contract, there will be a point where we will have to sit down and talk." When specifically pressed on the interest from Real Madrid, he added: "You can't turn down the best clubs in the world."

City's chances of securing a deal for Tonali have been fuelled by reports of a gentleman’s agreement that would allow him to leave St. James’ Park in the wake of the Magpies failing to secure Champions League football on Tyneside. Alongside their interest in Tonali, City remain keen on his Newcastle team-mate Tino Livramento as part of a wider recruitment drive.

To facilitate these ambitious moves, City are prepared to offer Newcastle a selection of players. According to reports, the players the Magpies are most interested in are England goalkeeper James Trafford, full-backs Rico Lewis and Issa Kabore, and centre-back Juma Bah. With City planning significant changes and Newcastle under pressure over the Tonali situation, potential swap deals are highly likely.

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