£43m Liverpool-linked gem who reportedly wowed Jurgen Klopp is urged to become ‘another Iniesta’

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A player reportedly on the radar of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been urged to “become another Iniesta” by his club’s owner.

The Reds have been linked with Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali, one of the most highly rated youngsters in Europe.

A report from Alfredo Pedulla earlier this year claimed that Liverpool have scouted Tonali several times this season and Klopp is impressed with what he’s seen and heard.

Despite his 19 years of age, Tonali has already made 77 appearances for Brescia, scoring six goals and claiming 14 assists, while also winning three Italy senior caps (Transfermarkt).

However, such exploits don’t go unnoticed – the teenager has also been linked with Manchester City, Manchester United, Juventus, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

Brescia owner Massimo Cellino – formerly of Leeds United – says he is willing to accept whatever the playmaker “chooses with the heart” when it comes to his future.

“My dream would be to keep Tonali. I would be willing to do somersaults,” he told Tuttosport, as quoted by Goal. “But I have a deal with Sandro, who is a golden boy. He knows that when he asks me to leave, I will let him go.

“It is not a question of price, the important thing is that Tonali chooses with the heart, and it is only he who decides… I’d like to see him in Rome or Napoli. But that will be difficult. I would prefer him to remain in Italy anyway.

“It will depend on Tonali, he will choose. But I hope he stays in Italy. He must become another [Andres] Iniesta.”

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It is uncertain whether Cellino is hoping that Tonali becomes “another Iniesta” in terms of his style of play and success in football, or plying his trade in his home country – or indeed both.

However, with Brescia bottom of the Serie A table and nine points from safety, relegation looms ever closer, and a player of Tonali’s calibre is not expected to be turning out in the second tier.

Tonali has previously been compared to Andrea Pirlo, while describing his own playing style as similar to Gennaro Gattuso – throw in the Iniesta comparison and you can see just how highly tipped he is for success.

While last season Tonali was believed to be worth €35million (£30million), now nothing less than €50million (£43million) would be considered for the youngster, according to Alfredo Pedulla’s report – but of course, that was before the current state of affairs.