Newcastle United have plenty of options to replace Sandro Tonali with during this summer transfer window after agreeing a £100m deal with Tottenham Hotspur
Sandro Tonali leaves a £100million hole in the Newcastle United midfield. A hole the club now has two months to fill before the summer transfer window closes.
Chronicle Live understands Newcastle will reinvest the initial £92.5million initial fee in "high potential talent" to replace the Italy international. That was also their approach this time last year when signing Anthony Elanga, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Nick Woltemade, all of whom were under 25 when they joined the Magpies.
Twelve months later, there are plenty more players who could fit the bill. Detailed below are nine possible replacements for Tonali.
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Adam Wharton
Crystal Palace continue to hold on to Adam Wharton with what appears to be relative ease every transfer window. Newcastle, however, may now have the resources to test their resolve this summer.
Missing out on the World Cup squad, combined with Oliver Glasner leaving, could convince the midfielder that now is the time to leave Selhurst Park. However, after winning the Conference League, they will be in the Europa League next season, something that Eddie Howe's side cannot offer during this coming campaign.
Wharton would be an ideal replacement for Tonali. At just 22, he is also undoubtedly a 'high potential talent'.
Alex Scott
Another midfielder who could move within the Premier League this summer is Alex Scott. Bournemouth, like Palace, have changed coaches ahead of next season and already sold Antoine Semenyo earlier this year.
As with Wharton, the upcoming campaign presents Scott with a first opportunity to play in the Europa League. There is also the potential for Champions League minutes should he move to one of the multiple other clubs credited with an interest in him.
Newcastle, however, have the most obvious need for a new midfielder. Other suitors this summer, such as Arsenal or Manchester United, cannot necessarily guarantee playing time.
Angelo Stiller
Newcastle are no strangers to recruiting from outside the Premier League. They have brought in players from the Bundesliga before, with mixed success, and Angelo Stiller could be worth the investment this summer.
At 25, he would qualify as a 'high potential talent'. Barely playing for Germany at the World Cup could also be a blessing, as it wouldn't further inflate his transfer fee.
Stuttgart, though, have qualified for the Champions League next season, which could prove hard to turn down. Newcastle, however, are in a position to steal a march on any other suitors.
Archie Gray
Sources on Tyneside insist that Newcastle did not make an offer for Archie Gray despite reports to the contrary. However, the midfielder is on their radar.
Spurs' signing of Mateus Fernandes and Tonali will only increase the competition for places in midfield. The Leeds United academy graduate could potentially become the odd one out next season under Roberto De Zerbi after falling out of favour following his appointment.
Gray is still only 20, but will want to receive the same senior international recognition as Scott and Wharton over the years to come. That is not going to happen on Tottenham's bench.
Lucas Bergvall
The fallout from signing two midfielders for the best part of £200million within days of each other is that the players they are coming in to replace may well want out. Lucas Bergvall is reportedly one of those after, like Gray, hardly getting a look in at the end of last season.
He is also 20, and it was perceived as a coup when Spurs signed the Swede two years ago. After already playing 50 times in the Premier League, a regular starting role will be what Bergvall wants.
Newcastle can now offer that to him. They are, though, not alone.
Johan Manzambi
Chronicle Live understands Newcastle have already pitched to Johan Manzambi's representatives this summer. However, they could do with Switzerland exiting the World Cup sooner rather than later so that the midfielder does not continue to impress in North America.
After leading Freiburg to the Europa League final, Manzambi appears in line for a step up this summer. Maintaining the momentum built Stateside should be a priority for the 20-year-old.
Newcastle have indicated he would be an important first-team player on Tyneside. There are, though, multiple suitors elsewhere in the Bundesliga and several more across the Premier League.
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Khephren Thuram
Another player who could choose to move this summer after missing out on playing at this summer's World Cup is Khephren Thuram. A year after making the Serie A team of the season, the midfielder is sitting at home watching the action Stateside after falling out of favour with the national team.
Juventus need to sanction sales this summer to strengthen their squad. That is something Newcastle could take advantage of.
After all, the last player they signed from Italy was not half bad. They would need to spend around half of what they receive for Tonali on the 25-year-old.
Felix Nmecha
Malick Thiaw's World Cup team-mate Felix Nmecha is another in-demand midfielder this summer after impressing at the World Cup despite being on a Germany team that rather flattered to deceive. Newcastle initially appeared priced out of a move for the player.
However, cashing in on Tonali could now see them revisit a move for Nmecha. With this fresh influx of funds, he would make a statement replacement for the Italian that Newcastle could do with.
At the age of 25, there is also still an argument that the Borussia Dortmund man represents "high potential talent". Nmecha would be an ideal replacement for Tonali.
Yasin Ayari
An opportunistic one now. Yasin Ayari is entering the final year of his Brighton & Hove Albion contract. He will enter next season on the back of an eye-catching World Cup in a very uninspiring Sweden side coached by Graham Potter.
The Seagulls are not known for having high-value players leave for free, unlike some other clubs, having previously cashed in on Leandro Trossard in a similar situation. Newcastle could now benefit if Brighton do likewise this summer.
Ayari turns 23 in October and still has plenty more potential to achieve. There is an ideal opportunity to do so on Tyneside.