Micah Richards believes Manchester City have the edge in the race to sign Elliot Anderson ahead of Manchester United with the midfielder favouring a move to the blue half of the city.
United have made Anderson their primary target for their midfield rebuild this summer with Casemiro’s departure leaving a huge void in the middle of the park. The club have agreed a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta in a £35million deal but are expected to sign at least one more midfielder – possibly two should Manuel Ugarte move on.
Anderson is greatly admired at Old Trafford with former captain Gary Neville naming the 23-year-old as a ‘dream signing’ that could provide stability in midfield for years to come.
United face losing out however with Anderson’s preference thought to be a move to the Etihad Stadium.
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City made their first move this week with their opening offer rejected by Forest. Talks are ongoing between the two clubs with reports suggesting Forest want a fee of £120million for their prized asset.
City are entering a new era without Pep Guardiola who has stepped away after a trophy-laden decade in charge. Bernardo Silva and John Stones will also depart with the club entering its own period of transition.
But the infrastructure and winning culture left behind has former City star Richards convinced they remain the biggest draw in the Premier League alongside new champions Arsenal.
Speaking to Metro in an exclusive interview, Richards explained why Anderson will be leaning more towards City than United.
‘I can’t speak highly enough of Pep and what he achieved but what City have done is build an environment where the top players still want to head to Manchester City regardless of who the manager is,’ Richards said.
‘That’s a compliment to the club. When Pep was there, four titles in a row, the treble, winning the Champions League… yes they had one of the best managers of all-time having a massive say in all that success. However, the infrastructure is there for the players and you would choose Manchester City over anywhere else.
‘And that’s not to disrespect any other club. It’s just other clubs are still finding out where they are going to be. Looking through the squad, Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guehi, Rodri, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland. If you are hedging your bets, you want to be playing with that calibre of player where you know even if you don’t win a trophy, you are always going to be challenging for a trophy.
‘And City have built that environment and that is always going to be there and be in a player’s mind. Going to Man United is still a massive draw, Liverpool as well with their history. Everyone has certain things they want when it comes to choosing a club. Some grew up Liverpool fans, some grew up Man United fans. But many will be thinking what is the best possible move for my career.’
Silva’s departure leaves a huge hole in City’s midfield with Rodri limited to 17 Premier League starts last season. Enzo Fernandez has been linked with a move that would see him reunited with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, the man tipped to step into Guardiola’s shoes, while Sandro Tonali is also thought to be of interest.
But Richards has no doubts over who should be coming in this summer.
‘He’s my no1 pick,’ Richards said of Anderson. ‘It depends on what the cost is but he can do so many things. He can sit there as a no6 but I think his best position is a no8. I think he is much more than a water carrier, he’s so good on the ball and he can drive forward.
‘I think he would be absolutely perfect for Man City. His football intelligence is off the scale. I think he’s ready. If he did become available and the rumours are correct, Man City for sure [should sign him]. There’s no question over him fitting in. He would be perfect for any team in the Premier League.’
Micah Richards has teamed up with meat snack brand Peperami for its Be Bold. Be Meaty campaign. He is fronting a major social-first content series set to air during the World Cup, as well as supporting the launch of the new Peperami x Doritos BBQ Sweet Tang limited edition range.