Paul Scholes believes Manchester United securing Sandro Tonali would give them the Premier League's finest midfielder. A midfield rebuild is anticipated at Old Trafford with Casemiro departing at season's end and Manuel Ugarte's long-term prospects unclear.

Brighton's Carlos Baleba, Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton feature amongst those being monitored. Tonali, 25, also appears on that list having impressed over nearly three years at Newcastle.

The Italy international's St James' Park deal runs until summer 2029, with an option for a further 12 months. Yet the Magpies' underwhelming league form - languishing in 11th position - has fuelled conjecture about Tonali's future and whether it truly lies in the North East.

The midfielder is consistently referenced amongst the elite in his role throughout the division, with Scholes previously declaring he outshines Arsenal's Declan Rice. Whilst praising Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, Scholes selected Tonali when questioned about the league's premier midfielder.

"I love Sandro Tonali as well," the United icon remarked on Sky Bet's The Overlap earlier this season. "He's been brilliant. Very good. I would probably choose Tonali at this point." When questioned further on his selection, Scholes continued: "Yes, you're going to say Declan Rice, but I think he's better than Rice.

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"I really like Rice, don't get me wrong, I think he's got everything. Sometimes he takes a few too many touches of the ball and tries to look a bit more stylish than necessary. He can do everything but I just don't think he does it enough. I prefer Tonali but they're both good players."

Throughout the January transfer window, Tonali's representative Giuseppe Riso is understood to have held discussions with Arsenal regarding a potential transfer and acknowledged that his client's future remains undecided.

Riso explained: "Newcastle are having a hard time letting go of Sandro, and he wants to lead the club to the Champions League. We'll evaluate and decide what to do in the summer.

"These transfer discussions will take place later. We'll see how the season ends and then we'll decide what to do. There's no preference at the moment. It's still early. What we're saying today won't apply tomorrow.

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"Newcastle couldn't let him go now, and there's no point in moving, especially since Sandro is very attached to the club." Securing a spot in the Champions League seems to be crucial for any club hoping to sign Tonali.

Michael Carrick has set United on the right path towards that goal, although the battle for qualification through league standing is expected to be fiercely fought for the remainder of the season between them, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool.

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