Why Man Utd want to sign one of Anderson’s “best mates”

‘Winning the window’ doesn’t always equate to on-field success, although there might be those of a Manchester United persuasion starting to feel a little uneasy about the lack of progress made on the recruitment front.

July is here, and United’s squad has been weakened rather than strengthened, with Casemiro departing following the expiry of his contract, while Manuel Ugarte is set to be sidelined for an extended period.

There are no secrets either when it comes to transfers these days, with INEOS perhaps left a little red-faced after seeing both Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes agree moves elsewhere.

Maybe this is all merely part of the plan, with new signings set to arrive later down the line. That said, with pre-season on the horizon and the new campaign just over a month away, that feeling of desperation and dread is beginning to set in.

Man Utd begin work to sign Mateus Fernandes alternative

And so, despite the presence of United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, it is Tottenham Hotspur who have won the race for the aforementioned Fernandes, the 21-year-old set to join the Lilywhites on a club-record £85m deal.

The Portuguese playmaker had been INEOS’ leading target after the failure to land Anderson, yet the club will now have to pivot to alternative options amid this ongoing midfield hunt.

One name that has been mentioned in Germany’s Felix Nmecha, with the Borussia Dortmund man well known to Jason Wilcox due to the Englishman’s prior work at Manchester City.

The priority still appears to be Premier League-proven additions, however, with journalist Ben Jacobs outlining that attention might now have shifted toward Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.

United are believed to already be exploring a deal for the 22-year-old, following Fernandes’ decision to join Spurs.

The Cherries are hoping to tie the Guernsey-born playmaker down to a new deal, however, and are even open to including a release clause within it, having valued the youngster at around £80m.

United will also have to contend with the presence of rival suitors, namely Arsenal, alongside Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs, with the Premier League elite lining up to sign one of Anderson’s “best mates“, as noted by journalist Nathan Salt.

Why Scott signing could be perfect for Bruno Fernandes

If there is to be one positive, it is that, unlike last year, there haven’t yet been any rumblings regarding the future of the skipper, the expectation being that Bruno Fernandes will pen an extension at Old Trafford.

Now on World Cup duty with Portugal, the 31-year-old is fresh off a stellar individual season in Manchester, having broken the Premier League assist record for the most recorded in a single campaign.

Even after six-and-a-half years at the club, Fernandes remains the central figure in this side, the man that Michael Carrick will again build his team around next season.

What Carrick and co do need to ensure is that there is quality alongside him, with Kobbie Mainoo and the aforementioned Scott two classy, ball-playing midfielders who could link up nicely with the former Sporting CP star.

Speaking in 2021, Fernandes quipped how he almost wished United had a player of Carrick’s quality in the squad, highlighting how the Englishman’s passing prowess was a class above when joining in training sessions while working as a first-team coach.

The captain hasn’t ever truly been able to work ahead of a settled, functioning midfield, with the oft-maligned McFred partnership not exactly providing that real sense of security and composure in possession, as Fernandes himself alluded to above.

That could be where Scott makes the difference, the former England U21 international such a balletic, graceful midfielder who can control proceedings in the centre of the park, almost Paul Scholes-like in the manner in which he dictates the tempo from deep.

Against United at the Vitality Stadium earlier this year, Scott was masterful in that action-packed 2-2 draw, notably recording more accurate passes than any other player on the pitch, while also ranking joint-second for key passes made.

At 22, the former Bristol City man isn’t yet the finished article, but there’s already so much to like about his game, not least his willingness to get forward and aid the teammates ahead of him.

Indeed, among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues last season, Scott ranked in the top 15% for progressive carries per 90, as well as in the top 7% for deep carries, suggesting he could be the man to link play with Fernandes when bombing forward.

What is also to like is what he offers defensively too, not afraid to put his foot in like Fernandes and co. For instance, the Bournemouth starlet ranks in the top 10% for box clearances and the top 15% for recoveries, highlighting what he brings to the table out of possession.

So often, Fernandes has been part of a United midfield that has been left exposed and cut open, rarely ever able to gain any sense of control.

Bringing Scott into the midfield ranks could well shift the dynamic, with the failure to sign Spurs’ new £85m man potentially set to prove a blessing in disguise at Old Trafford.