Manchester United‘s 2025/26 season has been a bit of a rollercoaster, full of chaos, but also showing some moments of potential. Ruben Amorim started his second year as head coach before being let go in January, with former United midfielder Michael Carrick stepping in to take the reins for the rest of the way.
It’s worth noting that United aren’t playing in Europe for the first time since 2014/15, which makes INEOS’s summer transfer plans feel even more urgent. Even with the coaching changes, United are sitting third in the Premier League. This makes the upcoming summer window massive if they want to keep this momentum going and build a squad that can actually fight for the title.
Carrick to continue at Old Trafford? What options do Manchester United really have
Manchester United’s interest in Anderson: What do the reports say?
Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Germany reports that Manchester United are in serious contention to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson this summer. The club have reportedly made him their top target for the middle of the pitch as INEOS prepares for Casemiro and possibly Manuel Ugarte to move on. Manchester City have also shown interest, and while Anderson is said to prefer a move to the Etihad, City are currently busy negotiating a new contract for Rodri. As of now, no one has reached out to Forest directly, and they are still holding out for a fee between £100m and £120m.
How has Anderson performed?
The stats show exactly why his price tag has skyrocketed. Anderson leads the Premier League this season in total possessions (863) and touches (2,315); that’s a staggering 484 more than the next closest midfielder, Declan Rice. It’s not just about the volume, either; the quality is there. He’s top of the league for line-breaking passes (101) and leads all central midfielders for touches in both the middle third (505) and final third (210).
The Forest midfielder is also a workhorse, covering 110.32 km so far, the second-highest distance in the league. According to FotMob, Anderson has two goals and two assists this season with a solid 7.5 average rating. His form even earned him a senior England call-up from Thomas Tuchel back in August for the World Cup qualifiers.
Does Anderson actually solve Manchester United’s midfield problem?
The truth is, he fixes one issue while highlighting another. Anderson is at his best when he’s carrying the ball forward from deep, and United desperately need someone with that specific skill set. But spending £100m to £120m on a 23-year-old who doesn’t score or assist a ton yet is a huge risk, especially for a team that struggle to get goals from midfield.
United’s real issue this year hasn’t just been moving the ball forward; it’s the lack of a midfielder who can score consistently while also holding things down defensively. Anderson is great at the first part, but his defensive work is still a bit of a question mark, especially given how much Forest have struggled at the back.
Plus, these stats are coming from a player who is a clear outlier in a struggling side. History shows that big clubs sometimes overpay for players who rack up big numbers in weaker teams. That said, his age, physical stats, and high potential make him a talent worth chasing. If Manchester United really are leading the race, they need to act fast before City turn their full attention toward him.
