Newcastle United's signing of Sandro Tonali was surprising given more teams were not in for his signature.

That is the view of former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, who believes the defensive midfielder could have played for other top Premier League clubs.

The Magpies appeared to have a free run at Tonali earlier this summer, securing his signature from AC Milan for an initial £55 million.

Murphy told the MailOnline: "If you've not watched much Italian football, then you might be shocked by his quality. Newcastle fans will get the passion and desire they love to see from their players but this lad can play.

"He can spot a pass from midfield and the only surprise was that more teams were not in for him. He was the standout player for AC Milan when they won Serie A two seasons ago.

“I know Bruno Guinmaraes is the Toon Army's hero but, by the end of this season, they might just have two."