Man Utd want Elliot Anderson this summer but Manchester City are leading the way when it comes to the race to sign the England midfielder.
Elliot Anderson
Elliot Anderson is at the centre of a transfer tug of war this summer
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There are plenty of moving parts in Manchester United's search for midfield reinforcements at the moment, but at the centre of the dance is a figure who, in an ideal world, would be the man to step into Casemiro's shoes next season.
Elliot Anderson is the dream target for United and the 23-year-old, who will start next to Declan Rice for England in the World Cup, fits the bill as the elite-level No. 6 that the midfield overhaul will be built around.
The problem for United is two-fold. Firstly, Manchester City provide stiff competition, having made Anderson their primary target as well. Anderson is said to favour a move to the Etihad and the Blues have already had a bid rebuffed.
The second is Forest's price tag. Evangelos Marinakis is a hard-nosed negotiator and having avoided relegation, he has a stronger hand. There is a suggestion that Forest want a fee which would eclipse the £105million Arsenal paid for Rice in 2023.
But while the chance of signing Anderson remains alive, even if remote, it puts something of a hold on United's other midfield business. Having signed Ederson from Atalanta for £35million, there is a plan to add at least one more midfielder, perhaps two if a buyer can be found for Manuel Ugarte.
The question is how hard United can push for someone like 21-year-old Fernandes, while also trying to keep the finances available to do a deal for Anderson, should that possibility emerge.
That is part of the balancing act clubs must navigate during a window, something chief executive Omar Berrada touched on in an end-of-season address last week.
"You always go into a window, you don't know how you're going to come out of it, but you have to be really prepared. You have to have a clear plan," he said.
"You have to know exactly what positions you're looking to strengthen. And you also have to be prepared for any eventuality, there could be exits that we’re not expecting, there could be opportunities in the market that perhaps weren't there at the beginning of the window. So, we have to be ready.
"We have to be agile and flexible, but we have a clear plan. Jason Wilcox and his team are very well set up to execute that plan. And I do think that what we saw last season is a good way forward for us, which is we want a mix of experience and youth."
United's plan at the moment is dependent on how a couple of situations develop. As much as they like Fernandes, talk of an £85million asking price is pie in the sky. Any deal would require West Ham to lower that.
But first of all, they could with a decision on Anderson. All parties are likely keen for a resolution before England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia, so a deadline of next Wednesday (June 17) looks plausible. If there is no progress then, it might be easier to move on to other targets, rather than waiting five or six weeks only to see the midfielder move to the Etihad anyway.