Manchester United have stepped up their pursuit of Elliot Anderson and believe they can beat Manchester City to the Nottingham Forest midfielder’s signature. The 23-year-old is expected to leave this summer, and United think they can persuade him to choose Old Trafford despite City being regarded as the early favourites.
The timing matters because Forest have already shown they are in no mood to make this simple. They rejected City’s initial £80m bid, even though Anderson is valued at about £100m and earns about £100,000 a week at the City Ground. His contract runs until June 2029, but United are still pushing hard because they expect room in the market to move quickly if Anderson decides Manchester is the right destination.
That is where the race starts to tilt. Anderson would receive roughly a 50% pay rise whichever Manchester club signs him, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe would be prepared to meet his wage demands if he chooses United over City. For Forest, the situation is awkward but familiar: the fee has to be high enough to justify a sale, yet the level already discussed has not been enough to shake the player loose.
United’s interest is not confined to one name. Jason Wilcox is also monitoring Mateus Fernandes as another midfield option, while Carlos Baleba remains on the club’s radar. United have already agreed a €40.5m deal with Atalanta for Éderson, which shows they are preparing for movement in the middle of the pitch whether Anderson arrives or not.
Even so, Anderson remains the prize that shapes the conversation. City are still considered favourites to sign him, and Forest’s £80m rejection of their first offer suggests the club will try to drive the price higher. United believe they can still win the player over, but that argument will only matter if Anderson decides Old Trafford is more appealing than the alternative across town. His summer choice is now the transfer that could define both clubs’ midfield plans.
