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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Connor O'Neill

Sandro Tonali made honest Liverpool admission before Newcastle transfer

Liverpool‘s extensive summer overhaul is set to continue in the coming weeks and months.

Liverpool are poised to take the next step in their midfield rebuild after completing the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this month. An absence of Champions League football did not deter Mac Allister from moving to Merseyside.

Khephren Thuram of OGC Nice in France's Ligue 1 is near the top of the Reds' midfield shortlist, while the ECHO understands Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga is also being assessed after an excellent campaign in La Liga that saw him score 11 times.

Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich has been a long-time target, but much rests on the plans of new manager Thomas Tuchel, with the pair set to sit down later this summer. Manu Kone of Borussia Monchengladbach is another under consideration after an impressive showing in Germany last term.

READ MORE: Fabio Carvalho transfer latest as Liverpool continue to weigh up loan offers

READ MORE: FSG promise kept after Anfield news confirmed and Gabriel Veiga transfer update

However, the Reds aren’t the only club looking to strengthen their midfield this summer. Newcastle United now appear to be closing in on the signing of Sandro Tonali.

According to the Chronicle, Tonali's agent Guiseppe Riso, along with Newcastle's sporting director Dan Ashworth and Toon head of recruitment Steve Nickson, have departed from talks in Italy and are heading to Romania, where Tonali is currently based, for the Under-21 European Championships.

The report goes on to claim that Newcastle have agreed terms with Tonali and that the midfielder will double his wages on Tyneside. A six-year deal is believed to be on the table for the 23-year-old.

And Tonali, who joined Milan on an initial year-long loan deal from Brescia in the summer of 2020, will arrive on Tyneside in awe of one Liverpool star. That’s because, speaking back in May last year, the Italy Under-21 international revealed that he is inspired by Thiago Alcantara.

In an interview with Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, the midfielder opened up on what he aimed to improve on as a player, and revealed: "Improve in the choice of times on tackles; too many times I expose myself to the risk of a yellow card. I will improve; I am inspired by Thiago Alcantara."

Tonali could come up against Thiago when Newcastle welcome Liverpool to St. James' Park on Saturday, August 26. His first match in the Premier League could be against Aston Villa on the opening weekend of the new season.

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