Manchester United are going to be aggressive about upgrading their midfield in the summer 2026 transfer window, and one of the keys will be finding players who suit their style and the personnel they have, especially young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
In 2023/24, Mainoo was a huge breakout star, but his play has fallen off lately, with neither Ruben Amorim nor Michael Carrick yet recovering the best version of the promising talent.
According to a report from Peter Hall and Mark Douglas of The i Paper Sport, Manchester United are beginning to step up their interest in Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali, viewing him as an ideal tactical fit alongside Mainoo.
Elliot Anderson reportedly remains the No. 1 transfer target for Manchester United, but with competition stiff with rivals Manchester City, Tonali is becoming a more popular target.
Tonali also has more of a track record of success both in the Premier League and Serie A, and the report from Hall and Douglas does mention that INEOS value players with Premier League experience.
Many fans will also want Tonali more. He has a box to box profile and is a great athlete, but he is also a wonderful playmaker from deep, which is something that complements Mainoo’s deficiencies well. Tonali, after all, used to be compared to a young Andrea Pirlo at Brescia and AC Milan in Italy.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.