Why Sandro Tonali could solve the midfield issues for Barcelona
As per Corriere della Sera (h/t Daily Mail), Barcelona are ready preparing a massive offer of £52million and two young players for Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali to bolster their midfield.
Tonali, 19, is a product of Brescia’s youth academy and he made a breakthrough in the 2017/18 season. He was instrumental in the club’s promotion to the Italian top-flight last season, racking up 3 goals and 7 assists.
His impressive performances have also attracted a lot of attention across Europe from top teams like Juventus, AC Milan, Manchester United and Chelsea, as per the report.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have not had their best season so far despite moving to the top of the La Liga table. They haven’t been dominant as they were in the previous title-winning campaigns and if not for star forward Lionel Messi, the Catalans would have not made it this far.
The absence of Luiz Suarez and Ousmane Dembele due to injuries has made it difficult for them up front but the chief reason for their unconvincing performance is the lack of stability in the middle of the park.
The Midfield Conundrum
Sergio Busquets is the only defensive midfield option at Quique Setien’s disposal whereas, Frenkie de Jong, Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and Arthur Melo are the attack-minded midfielders present in the squad.
While Rakitic has been linked with a move away from the club, Vidal could also be on his way out in the summer to get regular game time. Thus, to improve the depth in their squad and to continue their dominance in further campaigns, signing a young and in-form midfielder would be a wise decision.
In that regard, signing Tonali would be a massive boost for the club. At 19, he has already taken the Serie A by storm after a string of impressive performances. In 23 games this term, the youngster has racked up 1 goal and 5 assists. His eye-catching displays have also earned him three caps for the Italy national team.
The teenager could be seen as an heir to Busquets, who is already 31 and reaching the back end of his career. Tonali is known for his box-to-box attributes and his versatility would be a boost to Setien’s squad.
Read more
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Verdict
The midfielder is just 19 and is already an important member of his side. And Barcelona are in dire need of midfielders, given the situation of Rakitic. Thus, the Catalan giants should lure Tonali in the summer. He could go on to represent them in the long run.
