{"id":45379,"date":"2026-04-04T01:10:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T05:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/manchester-united-enter-race-to-sign-pogba-esque-tonali-upgrade\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T01:10:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T05:10:24","slug":"manchester-united-enter-race-to-sign-pogba-esque-tonali-upgrade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/manchester-united-enter-race-to-sign-pogba-esque-tonali-upgrade\/","title":{"rendered":"Manchester United enter race to sign &#8216;Pogba-esque&#8217; Tonali upgrade"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/manchester-united-enter-race-to-sign-pogba-esque-tonali-upgrade\/#Manchester_United_enter_race_to_sign_European_star\" >Manchester United enter race to sign European star<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/manchester-united-enter-race-to-sign-pogba-esque-tonali-upgrade\/#Why_Thuram_is_an_upgrade_to_Tonali\" >Why Thuram is an upgrade to Tonali<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/manchester-united-enter-race-to-sign-pogba-esque-tonali-upgrade\/#Manchester_Uniteds_richest_contract_in_history\" >Manchester United&#8217;s richest contract in history<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/manchester-united-enter-race-to-sign-pogba-esque-tonali-upgrade\/#Desire_to_join_Manchester_United_aims_to_upgrade_Cunha_%E2%80%9Cplayers_like_Amad_and_Mbeumo%E2%80%9D\" >Desire to join: Manchester United aims to upgrade Cunha, &#8220;players like Amad and Mbeumo&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>The summer transfer window looks set to be the biggest in Manchester United&#8217;s recent history, and their future success will depend on how they perform in the market.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>The Red Devils are enjoying a good run in the Premier League, with Michael Carrick&#8217;s side currently sitting third in the division with seven games remaining.<\/p>\n<p>The interim boss has certainly done a great job after taking over the reins from Ruben Amorim, but it remains to be seen whether he will take up the role permanently.<\/p>\n<p>    Whoever is chosen to lead the club in the 2026\/27 season and beyond will have an extremely talented squad, with the first team in the best position for many years.<\/p>\n<p>However, if they are to reach the next level and compete for titles, the hierarchy will desperately need to address growing issues in the midfield department.<\/p>\n<p><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"man-utd-enter-the-race-to-land-european-star\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Manchester_United_enter_race_to_sign_European_star\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Manchester United enter race to sign European star<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A new central midfielder became crucial to the hierarchy this summer after Casemiro announced he would leave United at the end of his contract.<\/p>\n<p>Countless players have been linked with a move to Old Trafford, with Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali currently at the top of the shopping list.<\/p>\n<p>    The Italian is expected to leave the Magpies in the summer due to financial issues, in which case the Red Devils could approach a deal for him in the coming months.<\/p>\n<p>However, the 25-year-old is not the only player currently on the shortlist, with Juventus&#8217; Kefren Thuram being another star who is currently being highly praised.<\/p>\n<p>According to Italy&#8217;s &#8220;Tutto Juve,&#8221; the French national team player, who has appeared in a total of 42 games in all competitions this season, is expected to receive &#8220;offers from abroad.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>According to the paper, United are expected to be in the race to sign him this summer, with Liverpool also thought to be interested in him.<\/p>\n<p>    It also confirms that the Italian team do not want to lose the 25-year-old during the off-season, but could be forced to make a cash move if an acceptable offer is made.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why-thuram-would-be-an-upgrade-on-tonali\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Thuram_is_an_upgrade_to_Tonali\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Why Thuram is an upgrade to Tonali<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As mentioned above, Tonali is just one of the players United are considering ahead of the summer, but such a move could be costly.<\/p>\n<p>The Magpies are said to be asking for a fee in the region of \u00a380m for his contract, which would make it one of the richest deals in the Red Devils&#8217; 148-year history.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"man-utd-most-expensive-signings-of-all-time\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/manchester-united-record-signings.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/manchester-united-record-signings.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Manchester_Uniteds_richest_contract_in_history\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tManchester United&#8217;s richest contract in history<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Many of their additions have not lived up to expectations. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Although he has the necessary experience in the Premier League, such a deal could prove too expensive, especially if multiple reinforcements are made in such areas.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, signing Thuram is likely to prove to be the more realistic option, with the Juventus star potentially a perfect fit in United&#8217;s current squad.<\/p>\n<p>    Although he has not featured in England throughout his professional career, his stats in Italy highlight a number of qualities, many of which would be ideal for the Premier League.<\/p>\n<p>Over the course of the ongoing campaign, the 25-year-old has completed 86% of his attempted passes, while creating 1.1 chances per 90 for his teammates.<\/p>\n<p>Both of those aforementioned goals are higher than Tonali&#8217;s, which could arguably suggest he is a better option for United with the ball at his feet.<\/p>\n<p>His dominance of the ball at his feet against the Newcastle star is reflected in his 61% dribble success rate and 2.4 touches per 90 in the opposition box.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-container\">\n<table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"1\" cellspacing=\"1\" style=\"\" align=\"\" summary=\"\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"2\" scope=\"col\" style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Kefren Thuram &#8211; Serie A Statistics (2025\/26)<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Statistics (every 90)<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>tally<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>games played<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>28<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>goals and assists<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Pass accuracy<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>86%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>An opportunity has arisen<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>1.1<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Dribbling completed<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>61%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Touch inside the 18 yard box<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>2.4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>won a duel<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>55%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>shot taken<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>1.8<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<p>Thuram&#8217;s talent in possession has led to much praise in recent months, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson labeling his qualities as &#8220;Pogba-esque&#8221; in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>But the Juve star also dominated without the ball against Tonali, going on to double his tackles per 90 this season.<\/p>\n<p>    His other stats, including a 55% duel win rate and 1.8 shots per 90, highlight his all-round quality and could be a huge asset for the Red Devils at both ends of the pitch.<\/p>\n<p>There is no doubt that Casemiro&#8217;s departure will leave a huge hole in the heart of United&#8217;s squad, and Thuram, who is talented both in attack and defence, is the perfect person to fill that hole.<\/p>\n<p>It is unclear how much the Frenchman will cost to sign this summer, but he will certainly be a cheaper addition than Newcastle&#8217;s talented players.<\/p>\n<p>At 25, he is at the perfect age to show quality right away, but also has the potential to develop further, which could make a huge contribution to the club&#8217;s chances of regaining title glory.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"man-utd-ineos-chasing-cunha-upgrade-ndiaye-new-amad-mbeumo\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/matheus-cunha-man-utd-newcastle.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/matheus-cunha-man-utd-newcastle.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"440\" height=\"364\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Matth\u00e4us-Cunha-Man United-Newcastle\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/matheus-cunha-man-utd-newcastle.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/matheus-cunha-man-utd-newcastle.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Desire_to_join_Manchester_United_aims_to_upgrade_Cunha_%E2%80%9Cplayers_like_Amad_and_Mbeumo%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tDesire to join: Manchester United aims to upgrade Cunha, &#8220;players like Amad and Mbeumo&#8221;<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">He&#8217;s in great shape this season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The summer transfer window looks set to be the biggest in Manchester United&#8217;s recent history, and their future success will depend on how they perform in the market. The Red Devils are enjoying a good run in the Premier League, with Michael Carrick&#8217;s side currently sitting third in the division with seven games remaining. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45189,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[5295,40,106,8063,180,43,8031,107,827],"class_list":{"0":"post-45379","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-enter","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-manchester","11":"tag-pogbaesque","12":"tag-race","13":"tag-sign","14":"tag-tonali","15":"tag-united","16":"tag-upgrade"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}