Manchester United executives are ‘optimistic’ they will beat Manchester City to a stunning deal for England midfielder Elliot Anderson, according to reports.
Anderson is currently preparing for the World Cup and is expected to be a key player in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.
The 23-year-old is coming off the back of another superb season for Nottingham Forest in which he helped the club secure their Premier League status and go deep in the Europa League.
Anderson’s form has caught the eye of a number of clubs and Manchester City were believed to be favourites to secure his signature this summer.
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Man City identified Anderson as their top summer target and are lining up a second offer for the Forest star after seeing their initial £80m bid rejected.
Etihad bosses expect to win the race for Anderson but The Guardian say Manchester United are optimistic of hijacking the deal and bringing him to Old Trafford.
It is claimed United believe Anderson is yet to make the final decision over his future and are confident he can still be persuaded to choose the red half of Manchester.
The Red Devils have made Brazil midfielder Ederson their first signing of the summer in a £35m deal with Italian side Atalanta.
But Michael Carrick, who was appointed as United’s permanent head coach last month, wants at least one more midfielder to arrive through the doors as Casemiro has left and Manuel Ugarte could be sold.
Manchester United have expressed interest in West Ham’s Matheus Fernandes, Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba but Anderson appears to be their top target.
Anderson signed a five-year contract with Nottingham Forest when they spent £35m to sign him from Newcastle United in 2024.
Last week ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards claimed his former club had the edge over Manchester United in the race to sign Anderson.
In an exclusive interview with Metro, he said: ‘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.
‘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.’
Discussing Man City’s interest in Anderson, Richards added: ‘He’s my No. 1 pick. It depends on what the cost is but he can do so many things.
‘He can sit there as a No. 6 but I think his best position is a No. 8. 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.’
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