Elliot Anderson: Scholes explains why Man United must beat City to Forest star
Elliot Anderson: Scholes explains why Man United must beat City to Forest star Paul Scholes has urged Manchester United to beat their noisy neighbours at the Etihad to the signing of midfield maestro Elliot Anderson. Best in Class Anderson has established himself as one of the finest operators in the Premier League since joining Nottingham Forest from Newcastle United in 2024. While the £35 million fee felt like a large outlay for a relatively unproven player, the deal will go down as one of the best pieces of business in recent years.
Anderson is set to play a key role for England at the World Cup this summer. Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel has described him as an “elite footballer”. The 23-year-old midfielder, capable of playing as the No.
6 or No. 8 due to the breadth of his skillset, has single-handedly kept Forest afloat at times this season. The Tricky Trees flirted with relegation as four different managers took charge at the City Ground in a turbulent campaign.
Had they been unable to stave off the drop, the price for Anderson might have dropped with them. However, Portuguese tactician Vitor Pereira has guided them towards safety and, with it, ensured controversial chairman Evangelos Marinakis will be able to command top dollar for his prized asset. United are joined by Manchester City in the hunt for Anderson’s signature this summer, though Pep Guardiola’s side are understood to be the frontrunners.
A price tag of around £100 million has been floated, but Forest may look to use this rivalry to demand a British transfer record for a midfielder. Nonetheless, former United midfielder Scholes believes this may be a price worth paying, urging the “Red Devils to swoop in for Anderson” in an interview with talkSPORT . Scholes makes his case “I really liked [Anderson] when he was at Newcastle,” Scholes stated.