GdS: Radical change in a year – a future awaits Tonali as a protagonist for club and country

By Oliver Fisher -

So much has changed for Sandro Tonali since the start of the current season and he is looking forward to a future as a protagonist for both club and country.

Tonali had a difficult introduction to life as a Milan player following his arrival from Brescia in summer 2020 on a loan with option to buy deal, but once it was made permanent he kicked into gear and has been one of the best midfielders in Serie A this season.

La Gazzetta dello Sport report how he is going towards a future as a star for the Rossoneri and for the Azzurri given that Roberto Mancini seems destined to rely on new players, with Jorginho and Barella letting him down in their World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final loss to Macedonia.

With Tonali the backbone of the first-placed team in Serie A, Mancini believes that he can cover any of the three midfield spots in his 4-3-3, either as the Regista or as a Mezzala. He should start against Turkey and it may be a starting point for an essential player for the future, given the Grand Final against Argentina beckons in June.

Looking back exactly one year, in the last ten games between April 3 and May 23, the Milan No.8 only amassed 113 minutes in four appearances at the end of the season. He cut his salary by about €400k per year to make the move permanent, and now the hope is that after being used sparingly by Italy he will spark into life just like he did under Stefano Pioli.

Tags AC Milan Sandro Tonali
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