Premiership's Best Midfielder Named By Paul Scholes

It takes a great midfielder to know one and, despite the fact that he played for Man U, you can't deny Paul Scholes was top notch.

An all round midfielder with a 1 in 5 goals to games ratio, assists galore, skills a plenty and a feisty player not afraid to put his foot in where it hurt. It's no surprise that he has put this Newcastle player ahead of two other candidates for the best current Prem midfielder, Declan Rice and Moses Caicedo, and given his vote to a player in his own making.

And that player is our very own Italian maestro Sandro Tonali.

Signed from AC Milan, for what now has to be a bargain £55M, Tonali has gone a long way to make his betting ban history. Once back, it took Eddie, and particularly Bruno, a few games to work out who would play the 6 and more defensive role in a mid three.

That mantle was handed to Tonali and he has been nothing short of sensational with consistent 8/10 performances making him the kingpin of one the best midfield's, if not the best, in the Prem.

An area where Tonali excels is his energy and pace which means he seems to be all over the pitch at the same time. In the blink of an eye he seemingly moves from breaking up play in a defensive position, to playing a one two on the edge of the opponents box.

His ability to read the game means that time and again he intercepts passes to start a break and, combined with his strength in the tackle, he is a force all over the pitch.

Not for Tonali the role of just sitting as a defensive shield in front of the back four. He has almost reinvented the 6 role and he is a unique and outstanding talent in that position.

Add in the fact that, touch wood, he has hardly been injured and clocked 45 games in all competitions last season, and it;s clear we have a gem of a player on our books.

Had Tonali not been banned in his first season it isn't stretching the truth to say that he could have been the difference between qualifying for the CL that season and missing out.

The one potential downside is that he only has another two seasons left on his contract. If he continues his form we all know that the elite clubs will have noticed and will be circling like sharks for his signature.

It's a fact that mids with Tonali's all round qualities are a rarity and he would grace and improve any team in the world. We all want, no more so than Eddie, for Tonali to continue strutting his magnificent stuff for the Toon.

Tonali is the elite type of player who is almost irreplaceable, unlike the other 'elite' player who went to the scousers for £125M and is now being outplayed and outscored by Woltemade.

OK. it's early days, but there is a ton more to come from the big man as he and his teammates develop their game around his strengths. Isak can be replaced, finding another Tonali would be akin to unearthing a replica of Tutankhamun's intact and treasure laden tomb.

So, the club have to get a new contract sorted out now. No messing about, pay him the absolute tops we can afford and tie him down for another five years.

The club supported him after his ban and never once publicly criticised him. The fans gave him 100% support on his return with not a sound of dissent at SJP when he played his first game in a year.

Loyalty is rare in professional football, especially with the massive wages on offer from those clubs who are not constrained by PSR, as NUFC are. But, if any player needs to show loyalty in return it's Sandro Tonali.

He needs to keep eating spaghetti and drinking Moretti in Newcastle. Loyalty works both ways... Tonali deserves a new contract, and he also deserves to sign it. Do it NOW!

Comments welcome.

Go to all blog articles

*Image courtesy of the Manchester Evening News