Paul Scholes has put Sandro Tonali at the centre of Manchester United's midfield debate. He said the centre of the pitch is a "big problem" for him, called the Newcastle midfielder "top-class", and made clear he would like United to move for him despite interest from other clubs.

Scholes's case for Tonali

Scholes did not dress it up. "The centre of the pitch is a big problem for me," he told Metro, before adding, "I love Tonali from Newcastle. It looks like a few clubs are in for him including Tottenham."

He also pointed to familiarity with English football. "He knows the Premier League, he's been with Newcastle for two or three years, obviously he had a year where he couldn't play, but I think he's a top-class midfield player," Scholes said.

That is a sensible place to start. Tonali's recent Newcastle league form has been steady rather than spectacular, with a 6.78 average across his last five appearances, but Scholes is not talking about a luxury signing. He is talking about a player who can handle the league and give United a more reliable middle of the pitch.

The competition for midfield signings

United's recent league form is not the picture of a side in freefall. They have four wins and one draw in their last five league matches, which keeps the argument focused on one part of the squad rather than the whole structure.

Newcastle, meanwhile, have taken three wins, one draw and one loss in their last five. Tonali is being linked with a side that is still competing at a decent level, and his midfield partner Bruno Guimaraes has averaged 7.15 across his last five matches. Anyone trying to prise Tonali away would have to make a strong case, because the competition for that role is not soft.

Scholes's view is still straightforward: if United want a centre-midfielder with Premier League experience, Tonali is the name he would chase first. Whether that convinces the club is another matter, especially with Arsenal and Tottenham also in the mix, but Scholes has at least identified a target that fits the problem he sees.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →