The Italian teenager isn’t worried about his evaluation ahead of a big season
Sandro Tonali insisted he is “not scared” about his €300 million (£256m/$330m) price tag as Europe’s elite eye the Brescia and Italy sensation.
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Brescia owner and president Massimo Cellino said it would take an offer of €300m for the Serie A side to part with prized asset Tonali.
Tonali – who broke into Brescia’s first team at the age of 17 – has been linked to Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Inter and Manchester United.
Asked about the price tag ahead of Italy’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina, the 19-year-old playmaker, who made his international debut last month, is trying to embrace the expectations.
“I love president Cellino very much and he rates me highly,” Tonali told Rai Sport. “He’s a great person and I hope to travel down a good road with him.
“After the match against Fiorentina, he said he wouldn’t even sell me for €300m, but that doesn’t scare me, even if it really is a lot of money.
“I’m confident about what we’ll do this season. For now I’m not thinking about the market, I just want to help Brescia stay up.”
Tonali came off the bench to make his Italy bow in the country’s 5-0 rout of Liechtenstein in Euro 2020 qualifying on October 15.
The Brescia star has been compared to Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso and Daniele De Rossi – who now plays for Boca Juniors.
On those comparisons, Tonali added: “Being compared to Pirlo doesn’t bother me, but I think we’re very different because he had indescribable technique and quality.
“I consider myself to be like Gattuso but more technical. He’s always been my role model.”
Speaking last month, Cellino told La Gazzetta dello Sport of his desire to keep Tonali at Brescia, no matter the cost.
“His agent and his parents were telling me about this €50 million evaluation,” he said. “I replied that for me he is worth €300 million, which means I don’t want to sell.
“I have a dream. If Sandro accepts, I am ready to make a big financial sacrifice to extend his contract. It’s up to him to decide. He can stay here and enjoy his football or go to a big club and risk being left on the bench.”