Manchester United’s recently reported interest in Sandro Tonali continues the theme of vindication for a figure no longer at the club, which started with Ruben Amorim.
The midfield revolution in the summer is being prepared by Manchester United, and Elliot Anderson’s rival has just emerged.
Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali is now on the club’s list of targets, adding his name to the list that includes Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton as well.
What are your thoughts on Manchester United’s supposed interest in Sandro Tonali?
Where should he rank in comparison to other central midfield targets?
However, what Tonali also does is vindicate a figure no longer at the club, whose time was already ageing well due to Ruben Amorim’s sacking.
Sandro Tonali was an all-in gamble from Dan Ashworth
Tonali is one of the best midfielders in the league right now, so it’s easy to forget that his signing was panned when it originally happened.
Dan Ashworth was Newcastle’s director of football, and in many ways, he staked his reputation on Tonali, since he was one of his first big-money signings since the regime change at Newcastle.
Tonali got handed a betting ban of 10 months, less than three months after joining the club, leading to Ashworth getting questioned about a lack of due diligence.
However, once he served that ban, Tonali came back to action like a man on a mission, and he’s now the subject of interest from Man Utd.
In all likelihood, Newcastle will make a profit on Tonali in the summer, be it with a move to United or elsewhere, so Ashworth’s all-in gamble that saw him get panned at the time is ageing like wine.
Just like that, his reputation receives more vindication as Tonali’s success gets added to his doubts about Ruben Amorim’s suitability at Old Trafford.
Ashworth proven right over Ruben Amorim at Man Utd
Ashworth’s breakdown in the relationship with Ineos happened as a result of escalating disagreements, the chief of which happened during United’s search for Erik ten Hag’s successor.
Ashworth favoured a Premier League-proven manager and harboured doubts over Amorim’s success translating to English football.
Are you happy with Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe?
14 months after Amorim’s hiring, Ashworth’s fears were realised as Amorim left United crashing and burning, the pieces of which are being picked up by an English manager, as Ashworth suggested at the time, ‘irritating’ Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
It is increasingly looking like the bets on which Ashworth lost his job are vindicating him, from the manager he had doubts over to the player he had complete trust in.
United fielding Sandro Tonali after buying him from Newcastle, after firing Ruben Amorim, is the double bonanza boost to Ashworth’s reputation that doesn’t reflect well on Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Have Ineos already fired the most level-headed person in the room?
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