- Manchester United legend endorses Nottingham Forest star
- Brazilian set to depart Old Trafford next month
- Reds expected to bring in at least two central midfielders
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has urged his former club to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.
The former midfielder is no stranger to the position, having played 717 times for United. The Reds are looking for Casemiro‘s successor, as the Brazilian only has two more games left in a red shirt. Whoever United acquire, they will be partnering with Kobbie Mainoo next season.
The pressure will be alleviated slightly as the Reds look to buy at least two midfielders. This will ensure that all the defensive holes left by veteran Casemiro are covered.
In the build-up to the summer, much of the talk has been around Anderson being United’s ‘primary target’, despite interest from Manchester City. Behind the scenes, Scholes’ endorsement could help push the transfer on.
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Scholes: Anderson Must Go to Next Level
Speaking on talkSPORT today (12 May), Scholes began by praising Anderson for his time at Newcastle United, saying he “really liked him” from before his move to Forest in 2024.
He continued: “Newcastle had to sell him, didn’t they, with the PSR and that kind of stuff. But yeah, what I’ve seen of him has been nothing short of brilliant really.”
This season, the 23-year-old has really thrived under pressure with Forest. If Anderson plays the remaining two fixtures for his club, he will have played 50 times in all competitions for Forest. It has been a challenging season with a relegation battle and Europa League football to contend with. Moreover, international games under his belt, rewarded by England manager Thomas Tuchel, have sealed what has been an impressive personal season for the midfielder.
Scholes added: “What he’s done for Forest has really been Europa League. He’s still got to go to that next level and he’s done it with England. When bigger games come [in the 2026 World Cup], then we’ll get a better idea and he will still have to test himself in the Champions League. But he looks to me like he’d be able to handle it. Absolutely no problem.”
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Anderson’s Next Outing is an Old Trafford Audition
Scholes offered his opinion on United’s keen interest in Anderson, but he didn’t stop there. He remarked: “But as I say, I think one or two [midfielders] will be needed [at United], not just the one. But Anderson and Mainoo, I think I’d be happy with that for the start of next season.”
So far, glimpses of that partnership have been underwhelming in this campaign’s friendlies under Tuchel. Nevertheless, there should be opportunities for them to play together again during the World Cup, provided Mainoo can secure enough minutes. Anderson is a nailed-on starter for the tournament, which will cap off his busiest season as an elite footballer to date.
He is well on his way to proving himself, just as Scholes suggested. Now that Forest’s Premier League status is secured, he could technically afford to take his foot off the gas for at least the next fortnight. Yet, he is unlikely to do so. His next match is against United, serving as an informal audition for his potential future employers.
