Elliot Anderson: Man United must break the bank to sign Forest talisman – Man United news and transfer news | The People’s Person

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Manchester United are prioritizing an overhaul of their midfield this summer as INEOS prepares to finally fix the stalled engine room at Old Trafford.

Since taking charge in 2024, the club’s leaders have spent slightly more half a billion on transfers, but still only signed one midfielder. The fact that this was Manuel Ugarte, captured from Paris Saint-Germain for £50.5m, only adds to this ill-advised thrift.

The 24-year-old Uruguayan was by far United’s worst signing of the INEOS era. He failed to adapt to the rigors of English football, despite his reputation as an enforcer in midfield, while offering virtually zero quality in terms of possession. The fact that he was linked with a move to Galatasaray in January, with the Turkish champions set to revisit the prospect this summer, tells its own story.

Man United’s acquisitions under INEOS

While Ugarte’s future at the Theater of Dreams seems far from certain, Casemiro has absolute clarity about his. The Brazilian colossus’ contract – the club’s most expensive – expires at the end of the season, and United’s hierarchy have no interest in renewing a contract for a player who turned 34 this week.

However, the former Real Madrid star has enjoyed a resurgent campaign, especially following the arrival of Michael Carrick as interim coach last month to replace Ruben Amorim.

While not offering an extension is the right decision, the loss of Casemiro will be significant due to his unique blend of defensive and ball progression skills. There are few options, inside or outside the Premier League, that could fill this void and aren’t al playing for one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

And that is why it is absolutely essential that United sign Elliot Anderson this summer, regardless of what it takes to secure his signature. If INEOS has to break the British transfer record in the process, that will be a price worth paying.

Premier League powerhouse

Nottingham Forest’s deal to sign Anderson from Newcastle for £35m over PSR concerns at St James’s Park has proven to be one of the best deals in recent history.

Since arriving at the City Ground in the summer of 2023, the 23-year-old has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. He is undoubtedly the best outside the ‘big six’, at least.

In a long line of impressive qualities, it may be Anderson’s “completeness” that sets him apart from his peers. He is simply capable of playing whatever role is required in midfield, whether it is as a defensive enforcer, a deep-lying playmaker, a box-to-box dynamo or in a more advanced position.

His quality on the ball is only surpassed by his relentless work rate off the ball, which is off the charts for turnovers statisticswhile still ranking highly in passing and progress metrics. At a time when European football is in short supply of high-level midfielders, it is no wonder that the continent’s heavyweights, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, have all joined United in the hunt for the Forest talisman.

Anderson’s meteoric rise has even earned him a starting spot in the England national team, with Thomas Tuchel describing him as an ‘elite’ talent. He is a lock to start alongside Declan Rice for the Three Lions at the World Cup in the summer, despite only making his international debut this season.

On Tyneside, any move from the Whitley Bay native, whether club or country, will provoke a violent reaction from Eddie Howe’s office, with Newcastle already out of a deal to bring him back north.

Etihad or Old Trafford?

In an increasingly hot race, City are seen as United’s main rival for Anderson this summer. Chelsea and Liverpool already have excellent number sixes in their ranks, while Bayern Munich do not have the resources to compete with the financial power of the Premier League.

And in a major blow, the Englishman is believed to prefer the Etihad to Old Trafford, with the chance to work under Pep Guardiola in the Champions League on high wages a tempting offer.

United are likely to return to Europe’s elite competition next season as the team’s transformation under Carrick has positioned them well for a top-four finish. However, continued uncertainty over who will be in charge next summer is not helping their cause.

Similarly, INEOS have sought to introduce a stricter wage bill at Old Trafford, eschewing the more exorbitant contracts – such as Casemiro and Marcus Rashford – in favor of deals in line with clubs elsewhere in the league. In contrast, City are keen to do whatever it takes to secure their targets, as evidenced by Marc Guehi’s pay package worth over £300,000 per week.

So how should United beat their rivals to secure one of the country’s most prized talents? By focusing on an agreement with the club, instead of with the player.

Pay to keep them quiet

Forest are reluctantly accepting that their prized signing will leave this summer. This is reflected by the player, who will be a Premier League player next season regardless of whether his current side survives the fall or not.

The Tricky Trees are simply hoping that a bidding war breaks out between England’s elite to win the race for England’s elite midfielder. An asking price as high as £100 million has been suggested, although some reports indicate this could drop to £85 million depending on Forest’s relegation status.

This is where United should strike and strike a record deal with the East Midlands side, not even giving City the chance to hold talks with Anderson’s representatives.

The signing of Paul Pogba from Juventus in 2016 for £89.3m is the Red Devils’ biggest ever signing, while the record fee for a midfielder in England is the £115m Chelsea paid Brighton for Moises Caicedo, closely followed by Arsenal’s £105m strike on West Ham for Declan Rice.

INEOS must be prepared to cross the Caicedo threshold if necessary to fend off its neighbours. There is no other midfielder in the Premier League who will join United’s side with as much ease as Anderson. Basic economics tells us that scarcity drives demand, and demand drives price.

Final thoughts

It may seem hyperbolic to suggest that a future £120m outlay will prove a bargain in the long run, but that is what Anderson will prove when he arrives in the red half of Manchester this summer.

When you consider the other targets on United’s radar, such as Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton, neither option offers the versatile skillset that the Forest man offers. Baleba is excellent without the ball, while Wharton is a maestro at it; Anderson is both, wrapped into one.

Furthermore, the demands that Brighton and Crystal Palace are expected to make for their respective stars will not come cheap, with suggestions that prices could rise as high as £100 million, although the final fee is likely to be lower.

However, on rare occasions, when a player is simply That well, in a position that a club finds itself in That Desperate in it, a gigantic expense beyond their objective value is worth it. Just ask executives at the Emirates or Stamford Bridge if there is any regret about their big money moves for defensive midfielders.

Arsenal and Chelsea signed the best available option to strengthen their engine rooms with the talents available in England – and to do so they had to suffer the dreaded Premier League tax. This summer it is Manchester United’s turn.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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