Sandro Tonali is getting ready to face Liverpool for the first time in the Premier League after signing for Newcastle United

Newcastle United made Sandro Tonali the most expensive Italian player in history when they paid £55m to end his association with AC Milan.

And after starring and scoring in the 5-1 win over Aston Villa, the Italy international looks set to get his first Premier League taste of facing Liverpool when the two Champions League hopefuls lock horns at St James’ Park on Sunday.

Tonali etched his name into the history books when he penned terms with the Magpies at the beginning of July. During that period, the conversation was about whether the 23-year-old was worth the luge sum of money that was paid for him.

Whereas the argument currently surrounding Liverpool is their hesitancy in the transfer market. Going into this season the Reds were more than aware of the work needed to improve their midfield following a disappointing campaign.

Acquiring Alexis Mac Allister was seamless, while the deal for Dominik Szoboszlai was swiftly done before the deadline of his release clause. For a while, the third midfield signing looked set to be Romeo Lavia, and then surprisingly Brighton & Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo, but both players went to Chelsea, for a combined £173m. In response, Jurgen Klopp unexpectedly moved for Wataru Endo, taking the Reds’ summer spending up to £111m.

Whether the fast-moving transfer of the Japan captain proves enough remains to be seen. But on Sunday, Liverpool will see an example, good or bad, of the fruits of moving early to extinguish a transfer problem.

The positive signs are there with Tonali making a goalscoring start to life in the Premier League during Newcastle’s emphatic win over Villa on the opening day.

Endo was brought on for his Reds debut during last Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Bournemouth after Mac Allister was wrongly sent off. Mac Allister was set to miss Sunday’s match with Newcastle but, after seeing his suspension rescinded, he could now be released from the shackles of a deeper midfield role.

Ahead of the encounter with the Magpies, Reds boss Klopp was complimentary of the business that has been constructed by his opposite number Eddie Howe. He said: “Newcastle is an incredibly strong team.

“Qualified for the Champions League, fully deserved. Super development under Eddie Howe, I must say. Smart business.

“Two standouts are (Sandro) Tonali and (Harvey) Barnes, really good. Super intense style. Massive atmosphere, so this is a tough one.”

Liverpool now find themselves scrambling before next Friday’s deadline to find a solution to settle on their options for the 2023-24 campaign.

The Reds learned tough lessons during the Caicedo and Lavia sagas and, with a possible defensive switch-up on the horizon, Newcastle’s prompt pursuit of Tonali could provide evidence of how future business should be conducted.