"Young Ann" is highly sought after; Manchester United must push hard.
It is well known that Manchester United's major national-level problem is the central midfielder position, which urgently needs reinforcement this summer...
The departure of Casemiro and the number of midfield options available... the quantity is notable, but the quality is still insufficient.
In Michael Carrick's 4-4-2 system, only Casemiro and Kobby Mendy are key players, while Manuel Ugarte has yet to meet expectations.
With Casemiro's contract expired, it is absolutely necessary to urgently look for a top central midfielder this summer...
Last summer, the Red Devils were busy focusing on Carlos Baleba, the defensive dynamo from Brighton, but the transfer did not materialize.
Since then, Baleba's name gradually faded along with the Cameroonian player's form, which has sadly declined and he has not returned to good performance with the Seagulls.
Elliot Anderson, the Nottingham Forest midfielder, has become a new figure frequently mentioned in the news regarding Manchester United.
It is expected that "Young Ann" is quite certain to transfer this summer, with several top clubs watching the 23-year-old England international closely.
Regardless of whether Forest avoids relegation from the Premier League, it is anticipated that Anderson will wear a jersey of a bigger club.
Anderson transferred from Newcastle United to Forest in 2024 for about £35 million on a five-year contract and has performed excellently over the past two seasons.
His powerful performance as a central midfielder, relentlessly chasing the ball and supporting both defense and attack as the team’s dynamo throughout the 90 minutes, is his hallmark.
With such strong form, Anderson has become a key player for Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, which will compete in the 2026 World Cup finals.
Of course, Manchester United is not the only club interested; teams like Manchester City, Liverpool, and even Chelsea are also keeping an eye on him.
Given this, Anderson’s transfer fee is expected to range between £85 million and £100 million!!!
Going back to 4 November last year, Manchester United showed serious interest and prepared to submit an offer this upcoming summer.
INEOS, which oversees the football structure of the Red Devils, sees Anderson as the most suitable reinforcement to elevate the team's midfield.
Insider news reveals that United views him as a key target and is ready to break the club’s transfer record to secure Anderson.
Manchester United’s most expensive signing so far was Paul Pogba, purchased for £89.3 million in 2016.
But this deal won’t be easy; even with readiness to set a new club record between £90-100 million, the matter doesn’t end there.
There are two other reasons why the Red Devils might miss out on acquiring this golden midfield talent...
Firstly, if Manchester United fails to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League, Anderson might look elsewhere.
Although Michael Carrick is currently performing well with five wins and one draw in the Premier League, securing fourth place, there is no guarantee they will return to Europe’s top competition.
Another issue is if other big clubs enter the race and can offer wages above £300,000 per week, can the Red Devils really compete at that level?
Pep Guardiola’s team is rumored to be ready to offer £100 million with wages prepared, and importantly, playing in Europe’s top competition and contending for major trophies is much more tempting.
Liverpool is also striving to strengthen their squad, as is German giant Bayern Munich, which has recently brought in Premier League stars with great success.
This is a crucial challenge for INEOS in pursuing Anderson’s signature if other top clubs join the competition...
The long-standing problem of the Red Devils’ inflated player wage ceiling is something INEOS plans to restructure.
Meanwhile, Sandro Tonali, the Italian international midfielder shining at Newcastle, is also on Manchester United’s radar.
Tonali’s transfer fee would also be substantial and likely close to Anderson’s, especially if major clubs compete for his signature.
We await to see if INEOS can regain the faith of the Red Devils’ fans.
MankCs