Elliot Anderson: Nottingham Forest make record-breaking demand to Man United
Elliot Anderson: Nottingham Forest make record-breaking demand to Man United Manchester United’s pursuit of Elliot Anderson is becoming increasingly difficult as the Red Devils face obstacles in every direction to agree a deal for the 23-year-old midfielder, according to David Ornstein. First-Choice Target A midfield revamp is the urgent priority at Old Trafford this summer, with Casemiro set to leave a massive gap once the Brazilian ‘s contract expires at the end of the season. The abject performances of Manuel Ugarte in his stead have done little to solidify the Uruguay international’s long-term future either.
Two big-money recruits are expected to arrive to fix this stalling engine room as INEOS focus on options with Premier League experience, mirroring their approach last year to fix the misfiring attack after the arrivals of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha . Nottingham Forest maestro, Anderson , who is set to star for England at the World Cup in June, is the club’s primary target. Competition from the blue half of Manchester will be fierce for the Whitley Bay native, however, with the two rivals set to go toe to toe for his signature.
There are conflicting reports on which side is leading the race, as well as the expected price to prise Anderson from the City Ground. However, the consensus is that Manchester City are frontrunners, while Ornstein has now provided clarity on the expected financial packages in a report. Record-Breaking Fee It was understood that Forest would demand a fee in the region of £100 million to part ways with their prized asset.
But the looming prospect of relegation, even though the Tricky Trees are in the semi-finals of the Europa League, would weaken their negotiating position, with a report relayed by The Peoples Person suggesting a drop as low as £65m. Ornstein, the gold standard for transfer updates, rejects this, however, instead revealing Forest want a record-breaking fee for a Premier League midfielder to sell Anderson this summer. The Athletic reporter states: “If they sell, Forest want to break the Premier League transfer record for a midfielder, and if they stay true to that, will both [Manchester clubs] be willing to pay it?
” The current record stands at £115m after Chelsea paid that mammoth fee to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion, indicating Forest want an even higher amount than that for Anderson. A further complication for United is the Englishman’s wage expectations, given he currently “earns in excess of £100,000 per week”. Ornstein contends he will want an “extremely high salary”, the type more readily available at the Etihad than Old Trafford, as City’s successful pursuits of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January proved.