- Manchester United close to losing Elliot Anderson race
- Saga set to end before World Cup starts
- City confident of £65m deal
The upcoming summer has been billed like a boxing match between Manchester United and Manchester City away from the pitch.
Many transfer targets have been of interest to both Manchester clubs. They both have a storied history of competing for signatures in recent years. The Red Devils hijacking the Blues’ move to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to England was perhaps the most famous one.
Before that, City dropped out of the race to sign Harry Maguire in 2019. Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Norwegian was keen on bringing Erling Haaland to Old Trafford. However, the City Football Group project appealed to him more.
In January, United crushingly lost out to their rivals in signing Antoine Semenyo. The club even held talks with the former Bournemouth player earlier in the season. Now, City looked to have got another one over INEOS.
City Deliver Transfer Blow
According to an exclusive by chief sports writer Jeremy Cross of The Mirror, City now believe they have won the race for Elliot Anderson.
The 23-year-old is ready to move on from Nottingham Forest, regardless of whether they avoid relegation from the Premier League or not.
It was expected that any club vying for his signature would have to pay a premium price upwards of £80m. Surprisingly, The Mirror revealed that Etihad chiefs are ‘confident of landing Anderson in a £65m deal’.
It was thought that City’s fresh commitment to Rodri would open the door for United to make moves on the defensive midfielder. Anderson’s preference has always been to play for the Cityzens. They have been leading the race to sign him for a few months.
The Forest man is expected to start alongside Declan Rice for England at this summer’s World Cup. Most certainly, his valuation will rocket if Thomas Tuchel’s side reaches the latter stages of the competition. Any club interested in him will want to get the deal over the line before the tournament kicks off on 11 June.
United Should Choose Another Primary Target
To see a primary target and a homegrown England star slip away for a modest price is a big blow for the Reds. It was only in 2024 that the club overpaid £42m to sign Manuel Ugarte, who is levels below Anderson right now. In comparison, the £65m quote for the England midfielder feels like a bargain in the current climate.
It is also quite the psychological blow, as the City project is years ahead of the Red Devils under INEOS. With the summer window fast approaching, the recruitment team must immediately pivot to the alternatives. The quality is out there, but it will be dependent on who can ‘replace’ Casemiro the best.
There can be no time for wallowing. Next season is a major litmus test of whether the club can follow through on chief executive Omar Berrada’s ambitions to clinch the league title in 2028.
