Elliot Anderson clone is “very keen” to join Man Utd

There’s always been a nagging sense that had Sir Alex Ferguson been at the helm, the likes of Harry Kane and Declan Rice would’ve ended up at Manchester United, with Elliot Anderson perhaps now another to add to their list.

Time and again, Fergie raided the Premier League for the best British or English talent, be it when poaching Rio Ferdinand from rivals Leeds United, or prising a teenage Wayne Rooney from Everton.

United were the dominant domestic force at that time, however, with the power balance having shifted significantly, no longer perhaps able or willing to compete with the financial might of Manchester City, the club that Anderson appears set to join.

Whether the Red Devils could really have justified a £120m fee for the 23-year-old is another matter, but missing out on their reported top target has forced the INEOS regime to shift their focus elsewhere.

Big-money Man Utd target is “very keen” to join this summer

Anderson appears to have his heart set on moving to the Etihad, even amid Pep Guardiola’s recent departure, with the Red Devils perhaps keen to target players who actually want to join, having been stung in their past by their protracted, ultimately futile pursuit of Frenkie de Jong in 2022.

One man who would seemingly be willing to make the move, as he seeks the next step in his career, is Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, the United States international representing a potential competitor to Luke Shaw at left-back.

Targeting the 28-year-old continues United’s trend of looking at Premier League-proven options, something that has been a feature of their pursuit of midfield alternatives to Anderson.

As revealed by Fabrizio Romano – speaking on his YouTube channel – INEOS are continuing their negotiations regarding a deal for West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes, with contacts set to continue “in the next hours”.

According to Romano, talks with the player’s camp are progressing positively, with the 21-year-old said to be “very keen” to make the switch.

The only sticking point is the price tag, with the Hammers seeking a fee close to £85m, after initially requesting £100m, although the Red Devils are in no rush as they seek to negotiate a reduced figure.

Why Fernandes could be Man Utd’s own Anderson

In the case of the aforementioned Rice, by the time of his £105m move to Arsenal in 2023, the ex-West Ham man felt like a sure thing, having already played at two major tournaments for England at that stage, while also leading his former side to Conference League glory as captain.

Anderson, now Rice’s partner for the Three Lions, doesn’t quite have the same cache at present, only truly enjoying two full seasons of Premier League football at Nottingham Forest, having not even been in the England conversation as Kobbie Mainoo shone at Euro 2024.

To invest so heavily in him could then be something of a risk, particularly when it feels like young Fernandes is an equally exciting talent, following his own two-season spell at Premier League level.

Signed by Southampton from Sporting CP back in 2024, before joining West Ham last summer, the Portuguese playmaker has chipped in with 13 goals and assists in that time, having typically been deployed in a box-to-box number eight role.

He’s also created nine ‘big chances’ since the start of 2024/25, while boasting a solid average of one key pass per game in the most recent campaign, representing a progressive, probing presence in the centre of the park.

That certainly mirrors Anderson, another man not necessarily pigeon-holed in one midfield role, with the Geordie star just ahead with 16 goals and assists to his name across the last two seasons.

Has created 16 ‘big chances’ too, and boasts a 1.4 average for key passes from 2025/26, but the difference between him and Fernandes isn’t too stark, particularly when considering the potential difference in price tag.

What is also to like about both players is just how combative they are, almost something of a throwback as old-fashioned number eights who can be effective both in and out of possession.

Last season, for instance, Fernandes averaged 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game, while also averaging 5.1 ball recoveries per game. For comparison, Anderson averaged 3.8 tackles and interceptions, albeit while ahead with regard to ball recoveries (8.1 per game).

For all that ball-winning prowess, there’s also a composure to their game that is to be admired, with Fernandes boasting an 87% pass accuracy rate, just ahead of Anderson’s 86% average. Again, for context, the departing Casemiro ended 2025/26 with a pass rate of just 81%.

Anderson might be the more high-profile figure, but Fernandes does mirror him in a string of metrics, something of an all-rounder in his own right.

Missing out on the City-bound midfielder could actually prove a blessing in disguise if the Hammers man goes on to shine at Old Trafford.