Chelsea are set to battle a number of Italian clubs for the signing of Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali who has been dubbed as the ‘new Andrea Pirlo’.
As per a report from Goal.com, Premier League heavyweights Chelsea are interested in signing Italian wonderkid Sandro Tonali from Serie B outfit Brescia, but face competition from a number of clubs including the likes of Napoli, AS Roma and Juventus.
Having come through the youth ranks at Brescia, Tonali broke into the senior team last season and went on to make a solid impression, chalking up returns of 2 goals and 2 assists from his 19 Serie B outings. The 18-year-old has started the 2018-19 campaign on a strong note as well, already registering 3 assists in 10 games thus far.
Tonali’s rapid rise with the Serie B outfit saw him break into the Italy U-19 national team earlier this year, for whom he has gone on to make 11 appearances now. The midfield prodigy was recently handed his first senior call-up by Italy manager Roberto Mancini for the upcoming fixtures against Portugal and USA.
Dubbed as the ‘new Andrea Pirlo’, who also came through the youth ranks at Brescia, Tonali operates in the deepest slot in the middle of the park, controlling the tempo of the game with his range of distribution. The 18-year-old also possesses great pace that allows him to press up and join in attacks when required and is defensively solid as well.
Tonali’s rise to fame with Brescia has put a number of clubs on alert, with Chelsea being chief among them. The Blues’ boss Maurizio Sarri was intent on signing the 18-year-old back when he was still in charge of Napoli last season and has continued to monitor the youngster’s progress since taking over at the Stamford Bridge this summer.
Sarri views the 18-year-old as a viable alternative in the squad for summer signing Jorginho, amid concerns over the future of Cesc Fabregas. And he is believed to be keen on making a move for the midfielder, who is valued at €20 million by Brescia, in the January transfer window.
However, Chelsea’s pathway to signing the talented teenager will be anything but easy, with a host of major Serie A clubs also interested in snapping him up.
Italian champions Juventus are serious admirers of Tonali and have been monitoring the midfielder for a while now. Should the Bianconeri sign the 18-year-old, they are willing to loan him out to continue his development, with Sassuolo and Bologna emerging as potential loan destinations.
Napoli are also eager to sign the 18-year-old Tonali, as they see him as the long-term replacement for Jorginho, while AS Roma are also plotting a move for the teenage sensation, with captain Daniele De Rossi entering the final stages of his career. Along with the aforementioned clubs, there have been reports of interest from AC Milan and Inter Milan as well.
Tonali still has close to three years left on his contract with Brescia, with the Serie B outfit having the option of extending it by another year. However, given the amount of interest in the prodigy, it is very much likely that he will be on the move in the near future. It remains to be seen, however, if Chelsea are able to stave off the competition to secure the Italian’s signing.
