Elliot Anderson | Athletic: United's main target

[davidmichael]

Unless we get UCL you have no hope in getting anderson even still gonna be hard with city most likely in the race ready to chuck whatever the asking price is at them and pay high wages. As for Baleba i think we should steer clear of him his form this season has been shocking which shows a poor mentality dont need anymore time wasters in the squad when trying to do YET ANOTHER rebuild.

I don’t understand this negative narrative of us standing no chance if City decide they want Anderson as look at some of the players who have signed for City over the past 5-6 years when massively hyped as a sure fire superstar only to see themselves struggling for minutes then moved on or used as back up, for us Anderson becomes our main man in midfield and a very important player rather than just another player.

Bringing in Baleba as a squad player isn’t a bad idea and he’s a different profile to Anderson not to mention Mainoo and Neves who we’re apparently interested in on a free too, it’s about variety and balance and if those are our main four options for two spots next season then I’d be very happy with those options.

 

[Art]

We'll get him and win the title next year.

 

[TheNewEra]

Wait so are we officially muppeting then yeah?

Guessing the hierachy don't feel he's city bound if this is briefed, and honestly if Pep is leaving we might be desirable.

I think our squad is top 3 right now, with a midfielder and left wing covered surely we can do a title run but fizzle away around Feb, then build depth

 

[Foolsgold21]

I can see all of them bar maybe chelsea spending big on a midfielder this summer.

Really? Arsenal can’t spend big on yet another midfielder surely?!

Liverpool have their starting 3 from last season plus trying to shoe horn Wirtz in as a 10. So no guarantee of a starting place there.

 

[Rozay]

I don’t understand this negative narrative of us standing no chance if City decide they want Anderson as look at some of the players who have signed for City over the past 5-6 years when massively hyped as a sure fire superstar only to see themselves struggling for minutes then moved on or used as back up, for us Anderson becomes our main man in midfield and a very important player rather than just another player.

Bringing in Baleba as a squad player isn’t a bad idea and he’s a different profile to Anderson not to mention Mainoo and Neves who we’re apparently interested in on a free too, it’s about variety and balance and if those are our main four options for two spots next season then I’d be very happy with those options.

Neves won’t be free, he’s under contract for 3 more years and I think we could spend money better than signing him. And I doubt Baleba will be seen as a squad player tbh. He’ll cost a pretty penny I’m sure.

 

[theatreofdreams777]

I thought INEOS were drifting away from £100m+ signings? Is he worth the money Forest would want? Isn't he more of an AM/CM anyway? Is he going to compete with Mainoo or we're selling Bruno and going to change to 4-3-3?

We need a DM first and foremost as Casemiro is leaving and I hope we are not looking to replace him with the likes of Baleba, Anderson or Wharton. A top DM should be our priority.

I hope we have more financially sound options and would not waste the summer chasing those overpriced names, especially when it's a World Cup summer. We need to act quickly and add serious quality to our midfield.

 

[TheNewEra]

I thought INEOS were drifting away from £100m+ signings? Is he worth the money Forest would want? Isn't he more of an AM/CM anyway? Is he going to compete with Mainoo or we're selling Bruno and going to change to 4-3-3?

We need a DM first and foremost as Casemiro is leaving and I hope we are not looking to replace him with the likes of Baleba, Anderson or Wharton. A top DM should be our priority.

I hope we have more financially sound options and would not waste the summer chasing those overpriced names, especially when it's a World Cup summer. We need to act quickly and add serious quality to our midfield.

We're going to have around 300m to spend IMO, and we can afford 2 CMS and a LW at the very least, we ideally want Ugarte gone and two top midfielders regardless with Bruno and Mainoo staying. We'd want to dominate games.

 

[VP89]

Guessing the hierachy don't feel he's city bound if this is briefed, and honestly if Pep is leaving we might be desirable.

I think our squad is top 3 right now, with a midfielder and left wing covered surely we can do a title run but fizzle away around Feb, then build depth

I mean we wanted Quenda and Delap, had that briefed to Athletic and it fell apart so I wouldn't assume too much right now.

 

[Adz_99]

Hope Forest go down so we can haggle a bit off the price

 

[Posh Red]

I thought INEOS were drifting away from £100m+ signings? Is he worth the money Forest would want? Isn't he more of an AM/CM anyway? Is he going to compete with Mainoo or we're selling Bruno and going to change to 4-3-3?

We need a DM first and foremost as Casemiro is leaving and I hope we are not looking to replace him with the likes of Baleba, Anderson or Wharton. A top DM should be our priority.

I hope we have more financially sound options and would not waste the summer chasing those overpriced names, especially when it's a World Cup summer. We need to act quickly and add serious quality to our midfield.

1. Have we ever made a signing for over £100m?
2. When did the club say this? I don’t recall hearing this anywhere.

 

[Kayla40TS]

I thought INEOS were drifting away from £100m+ signings? Is he worth the money Forest would want? Isn't he more of an AM/CM anyway? Is he going to compete with Mainoo or we're selling Bruno and going to change to 4-3-3?

We need a DM first and foremost as Casemiro is leaving and I hope we are not looking to replace him with the likes of Baleba, Anderson or Wharton. A top DM should be our priority.

I hope we have more financially sound options and would not waste the summer chasing those overpriced names, especially when it's a World Cup summer. We need to act quickly and add serious quality to our midfield.

Yes. Resoundingly. Unequivocally.

He's something like 5th in tackles won and 1st in fouls drawn in the league this season. His passing stats are good. His interceptions are great. He's far and away our top target for a reason.

 

[slyadams]

Yes. Resoundingly. Unequivocally.

He's something like 5th in tackles won and 1st in fouls drawn in the league this season. His passing stats are good. His interceptions are great. He's far and away our top target for a reason.

Yeah, the kind of player you can build a midfield around. Him and Mainoo would compliment each other very well, it doesn't hurt that they're both young and English and could form a partnership for club and country for a good number of years. There havn't been many players in the past 5-6 years who I would have said to go after with everything we have, but he's one.

Ironically the last was probably Sancho, so what the feck do I know.

 

[Kayla40TS]

Yeah, the kind of player you can build a midfield around. Him and Mainoo would compliment each other very well, it doesn't hurt that they're both young and English and could form a partnership for club and country for a good number of years. There havn't been many players in the past 5-6 years who I would have said to go after with everything we have, but he's one.

Ironically the last was probably Sancho, so what the feck do I know.

I was all in on Sancho, as well. But I do think this is different as Anderson is doing it in the EPL already.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Guessing the hierachy don't feel he's city bound if this is briefed, and honestly if Pep is leaving we might be desirable.

I think our squad is top 3 right now, with a midfielder and left wing covered surely we can do a title run but fizzle away around Feb, then build depth

Instructions unclear. Going to post in the de Jong thread.

 

[davidmichael]

Neves won’t be free, he’s under contract for 3 more years and I think we could spend money better than signing him. And I doubt Baleba will be seen as a squad player tbh. He’ll cost a pretty penny I’m sure.

I’ve only just this second seen Neves has signed a new contract in Saudi so apologies on that, with Baleba he’d cost a fair amount but quality squad players do cost these days unfortunately.

 

[CM]

I thought INEOS were drifting away from £100m+ signings? Is he worth the money Forest would want? Isn't he more of an AM/CM anyway? Is he going to compete with Mainoo or we're selling Bruno and going to change to 4-3-3?

We need a DM first and foremost as Casemiro is leaving and I hope we are not looking to replace him with the likes of Baleba, Anderson or Wharton. A top DM should be our priority.

I hope we have more financially sound options and would not waste the summer chasing those overpriced names, especially when it's a World Cup summer. We need to act quickly and add serious quality to our midfield.

Anderson is likely to be one of the most complete midfielders available on the market in the summer so I wouldn't be worried about his suitability, we'll probably be targeting him in addition to a DM regardless.

Somebody said he's reminiscent of the all action midfielders from the 90s and early 2000s and I agree with that. He seems capable of doing everything to a pretty good standard and would be the player I'm most confident in making the step up to a club like United from the feasible options at other Premier League clubs. Whether that makes him worth £100m is a different question, but it's becoming the going rate for a perceived top level midfielder of his age bracket after transfers like Enzo Fernandez, Caicedo and Rice.

 

[lex talionis]

If our budget is wide open due to slick accounting tricks or whatever it has to be two central midfielders, Anderson being one and another to take a punt on as a squad man (assuming Bruno stays).

But if it's one and only one buy for the midfield it has to be Anderson, who can destroy deep and create going forward.

 

[Rozay]

I’ve only just this second seen Neves has signed a new contract in Saudi so apologies on that, with Baleba he’d cost a fair amount but quality squad players do cost these days unfortunately.

No worries mate.

He’ll be a player coming in to compete, and will fancy his chances of doing so. I don’t think he’ll come in to be back up by default. He’s a very impressive young CM, and his competition would also be of the same description. But I sort of get you. You buy quality players to compete, and Baleba and Anderson coming in will fit that bill, along with Mainoo. Although I don’t see Baleba as some sort of default weak link there

 

[cpresc]

If our budget is wide open due to slick accounting tricks or whatever it has to be two central midfielders, Anderson being one and another to take a punt on as a squad man (assuming Bruno stays).

But if it's one and only one buy for the midfield it has to be Anderson, who can destroy deep and create going forward.

A few rumours around Alex Scott today, I think he would be a good option for this as he's quite adaptable and adds to hopefully an English core.

 

[Irrational.]

I would be careful about splashing out on him. Could be another English hype job like the Longstaff brothers (I recall we were willing to, or were quoted to pay up to £50 million for Sean. And look where he is now.)

I’m sure there is better value for money instead of the insane figures being quoted.

 

[Chief123]

Every time I watch him play, dare I say it he reminds me of a young Steven Gerrard. His tenacity, direct passing and running style while dictating play from deeper positions is very similar. Really hope we get him.

 

[IrwinwasbetterthanCarlos]

If our budget is wide open due to slick accounting tricks or whatever it has to be two central midfielders, Anderson being one and another to take a punt on as a squad man (assuming Bruno stays).

But if it's one and only one buy for the midfield it has to be Anderson, who can destroy deep and create going forward.

I think our budget will be far better, provided we get CL, because we’ve finally taken the necessary axe to the wage bill. As much as I love Cas, could have 2 centre mids plus change for his wages. Rashford hopefully out too, Sancho gone. Once the summer outgoings go through (fingers crossed on Onana!) we shouldn’t have any deadwood and a very lean squad.

 

[Baxquux]

I mean we wanted Quenda and Delap, had that briefed to Athletic and it fell apart so I wouldn't assume too much right now.

Quenda was Chelsea being willing to loan him back to Sporting (so exceptional circumstance, something other clubs wouldn't countenance), and Delap was, going off reports, Tuchel telling him he should sign for a club with European, ideally CL football if he wanted to be Kane's understudy for 2026. Again, particular circumstances. If we don't get CL, Anderson's 99% not signing; if we do, then it's a legitimate race.

Club is clearly banking on achieving at least 5th place if they're briefing this - whilst there were no obvious good permanents to bring in, IMO they should have let Zirkzee go on loan and used that space/deal to get a temporary CM (even a RLC from Milan, who wanted JZ) in order to boost chances of achieving that 4th/5th, but it's their call.

 

[Sandikan]

I would be careful about splashing out on him. Could be another English hype job like the Longstaff brothers (I recall we were willing to, or were quoted to pay up to £50 million for Sean. And look where he is now.)

I’m sure there is better value for money instead of the insane figures being quoted.

Newcastle set the fee at £50m to ward us off.
We were never going anywhere near that!

 

[Escobar]

Lets get him asap and move on to our other targets

 

[Alex99]

Newcastle set the fee at £50m to ward us off.
We were never going anywhere near that!

We valued him in the same £15-20 million range we picked Dan James up for, they said £50 million, so we left it well alone.

That's somehow turned into us offering £50 million.

 

[VP89]

Quenda was Chelsea being willing to loan him back to Sporting (so exceptional circumstance, something other clubs wouldn't countenance), and Delap was, going off reports, Tuchel telling him he should sign for a club with European, ideally CL football if he wanted to be Kane's understudy for 2026. Again, particular circumstances. If we don't get CL, Anderson's 99% not signing; if we do, then it's a legitimate race.

Club is clearly banking on achieving at least 5th place if they're briefing this - whilst there were no obvious good permanents to bring in, IMO they should have let Zirkzee go on loan and used that space/deal to get a temporary CM (even a RLC from Milan, who wanted JZ) in order to boost chances of achieving that 4th/5th, but it's their call.

Circumstances don't really matter. I'm sure there are plausible circumstances where Anderson could snub us too, general point is just a club briefing on a key target doesn't make it any more likely.

 

[HankHill]

He'd be a great signing, I'd have him as top priority too, then the next centre mid, then the next.

 

[Lennon7]

Wanted Anderson during all the Baleba stuff. Now he’s had another good season and playing for England more, I’d sooner pay the £105m+ we got quoted for Baleba for Anderson

Sometimes you have to spend that on top talent. Look at the amount of dough Liverpool spent. Anderson would transfer us. If we could get both him and Wharton for £200m it’s absolutely the way to go

 

[Rozay]

Quenda was Chelsea being willing to loan him back to Sporting (so exceptional circumstance, something other clubs wouldn't countenance), and Delap was, going off reports, Tuchel telling him he should sign for a club with European, ideally CL football if he wanted to be Kane's understudy for 2026. Again, particular circumstances. If we don't get CL, Anderson's 99% not signing; if we do, then it's a legitimate race.

Club is clearly banking on achieving at least 5th place if they're briefing this - whilst there were no obvious good permanents to bring in, IMO they should have let Zirkzee go on loan and used that space/deal to get a temporary CM (even a RLC from Milan, who wanted JZ) in order to boost chances of achieving that 4th/5th, but it's their call.

Quenda was him not wanting to be a fecking wing back, by all accounts.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Any player is effective as long as they are in a system which is built around their strengths and which protects them from their weaknesses. Take most of United's pundits as an example. Most of them would have been mid table players (Gaz, Phil, Butt) if it wasn't for SAF who built a team which allowed them to play at the highest level. He did so not because of the kindness of his heart but because they happened to have skills that complimented the squad. That's something United post SAF (especially Amorim) seem to have ignored.

If we sign Wharton then we will dictate tempo. However we'll need to surround him with runners and player with a certain level of athleticism around him. Signing Anderson will mean building a team around mobility and aggressiveness. We're already positioned on that with the likes of Mbuemo but we'll need more players like that. Neither player will sort United CM on their own which makes me wonder whether spending 80-100m for one of them is worth.

You're vastly underrating Anderson's ability on the ball and his passing range. He's not Scholes but he's an excellent passer and very progressive.

 

[van Nistelrooy]

Thread title changed, but no tweet in relation to it (that I could find) so there:

Head and shoulders ahead of Baleba and Wharton for me. Looks a great prospect, proven Premier League quality and established England international.

As centre midfield is obviously our main focus this summer, Anderson should be our top target. I just hope we can reach a reasonable agreement with Forest.

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

Wanted Anderson during all the Baleba stuff. Now he’s had another good season and playing for England more, I’d sooner pay the £105m+ we got quoted for Baleba for Anderson

Sometimes you have to spend that on top talent. Look at the amount of dough Liverpool spent. Anderson would transfer us. If we could get both him and Wharton for £200m it’s absolutely the way to go

Wharton might cost 80m and is too similar to Mainoo. Baleba would make more sense but his form is not great. Then there is Fernandes, Roma's Kone and a few French prospects. Anderson, Fernandes and a LW would be great.

 

[Irrational.]

Newcastle set the fee at £50m to ward us off.
We were never going anywhere near that!

The fact that we were even considering him says everything about how highly we rated him at the time (aided by all the media hype).

 

[giggs-beckham]

Every time I watch him play, dare I say it he reminds me of a young Steven Gerrard. His tenacity, direct passing and running style while dictating play from deeper positions is very similar. Really hope we get him.

Gerrard could score

 

[JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo]

The fact that we were even considering him says everything about how highly we rated him at the time (aided by all the media hype).

Was a really bonkers summer. Apparently he, Dan James and AWB topped whatever scouting data they were using.

 

[AkaAkuma]

A few rumours around Alex Scott today, I think he would be a good option for this as he's quite adaptable and adds to hopefully an English core.

I read somewhere that Scott and Anderson are good friends, perhaps formed in England youth teams.

 

[ron86]

It would be insane to make baleba our main signing at 6. If he is signed alongside someone else that might be OK but still suspect brighton will value him at more than he is worth.

I like Anderson and Wharton but would hope we are also looking at targets around Europe

Thats the thing, I would be open to taking the risk with Baleba if we signed another starting midfielder like Anderson. If Baleba was to be our main mf signing though I'd want to walk away

Was a really bonkers summer. Apparently he, Dan James and AWB topped whatever scouting data they were using.

Frightening scouting, bottom half players

 

[ManhattanRed]

I think the last time the fan sentiment was so overwhelmingly positive and in favor of a prospective signing was with Sancho. Therefore we should not sign him and get Baleba.

 

[croadyman]

He'd be a great signing, I'd have him as top priority too, then the next centre mid, then the next.

We will have to show some shrewdness with the potential third signing because haven't got City’s finances