Manchester United are reportedly battling with Chelsea over a deal to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, as per Caught Offside.
The Red Devils currently have Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo as options to deploy in the deeper midfield roles. However, it has been confirmed that the Brazilian will leave at the end of this season upon the expiration of his current contract.
Ugarte was ideally signed from Paris Saint-Germain a couple of years ago as Casemiro’s replacement. However, the Uruguayan has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League and has been linked with a move away in this winter transfer window.
Mainoo, on the other hand, struggled to find regular game time under former manager Ruben Amorim. However, his situation is expected to improve under interim boss Michael Carrick. But he is still just 20, and his game time needs to be managed carefully to help him reach his full potential.
It has widely been documented that Man Utd are considering revamping the midfield department next year and have been linked with a plethora of names.
Now, Caught Offside claim that United have identified Anderson as a serious option after being impressed by his recent eye-catching performances in the Premier League.
Man Utd have already started working hard behind the scenes to position themselves as the favourite in this race. Apart from the 20-time English champions, Chelsea, Manchester City and Bayern Munich are also interested in him.
Battle
The Citizens have made contact over this deal, while the player might favour a move to the Etihad Stadium. Still, Man Utd and Chelsea haven’t given up hopes to secure his services.
Bayern Munich are currently outsiders in this race and would be ready to make a concrete approach if Nottingham Forest are in favour of selling the 23-year-old abroad.
With the Englishman’s existing deal set to run until 2029, the Reds are in a strong position to demand a big fee for him and have slapped a whopping £100m price tag on his head.
It is going to be interesting to see where Anderson eventually goes if he leaves the City Ground at the end of this campaign.
