With Casemiro departing, Manchester United targets a dynamic midfielder. Elliot Anderson emerges as the top choice, boasting impressive defensive and offensive stats.
Although the winter transfer window is now shut, the rumours and paper talk keep on coming. That is par for the course when it comes to a club the size of Manchester United.
Particularly with the official confirmation that midfielder Casemiro will be leaving the club at the end of the season, the midfielder rumours are heating up more than ever.
During his stickier spells at Old Trafford, United were not able to find a replacement for the Brazilian, which doesn't bode too well for the future. They tried with the signing of Manuel Ugarte from PSG, but it is safe to say that it has not gone well at all.
So, the replacement for the Brazilian veteran will be absolutely crucial for the short, medium, and long-term future of the club on the pitch. Which begs the question, who comes in?
Well, according to Andy Mitten, Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest is the number one midfield target this summer. He also mentions that Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba of Brighton and Hove Albion are of interest too, whilst others are being monitored.
This is an interesting report. Anderson is an all-action midfielder, capable of doing a bit of everything. When coming through at Newcastle United and during his loan at Bristol Rovers, he played either as a left winger or as an attacking midfielder.
Yet, since joining Forest in the summer of 2024, he has gained a reputation for his outstanding work off the ball. In the Premier League this season, Anderson is averaging 2.7 tackles per game - more than Casemiro, Jurrien Timber, Idrissa Gueye, and Boubacar Kamara, to name a few midfielders with a reputation for being ball winners.
This is all whilst still being very good on the ball too. The 23-year old has completed the most forward passes per game of any midfielder in the league this season, and averages more successful dribbles per game than Estevao, Karou Mitoma, and Jack Grealish, to name but a few.
Another huge tick in the Anderson box is that he is one of just five players to play every single minute in the Premier League this season. He is joined by Nikola Milenkovic, Virgil van Dijk, James Tarkowski, and Maxence Lacroix.
Notice something? Indeed, all of the other names are central defenders. To have that level of durability and robustness in the middle of the park is seriously, seriously impressive.
On top of that, he has played 439 minutes for the England national team, as well as 364 minutes for Forest in the Europa League. It is an incredible level of availability and reliability.
However, does he fit? Well, when you have such an all-around player, it is easy to put any sort of player next to him. Anderson is capable of being a destroyer or a ball player. With Kobbie Mainoo, he would be tasked with being more of the former.
Which is a bit of a shame, because he is so much more than that. So personally, there could be better moves for him. But from a United perspective, it would be an incredible addition.
Both Wharton and Baleba are good players, but they are not on Anderson's level. He would be an incredible signing. Having the 'Geordie Maradona' under a Geordie manager at Old Trafford would be quite something indeed.
Join The Conversation
Roundtablesports is Free to join! You can post your own thoughts, comment on articles, and start conversations with our Roundtable Writers. Scroll up to the top of the page and click 'Join'.
Download the FREE Roundtable APP, and get even easier access to your favourite teams and news!