‘My intel…’: Journo shares what Man Utd are now ‘definitively thinking’ about signing £90m England star

Manchester United won’t concede defeat prematurely in the race for Elliot Anderson’s signature this summer, despite being fully aware that Manchester City can offer a more lucrative financial package.The two Manchester clubs are preparing to go head-to-head in pursuit of the star at the end of the season, and Nottingham Forest will certainly be looking to make a hefty profit on the £35 million they shelled out for him in July 2024.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYHow Anderson has fared since leaving St. James’ ParkAt the time, Newcastle United were desperate to keep hold of Anderson, but were cornered into a sale in order to avoid any PSR violations; given he’s a product of their academy, the fee generated from his sale counted as pure profit for the Magpies.He has since flourished at the City Ground, becoming a mainstay for Forest as they defied all odds and qualified for Europe last season after spending a large portion of the season amongst the top four. Elliot Anderson is an absolute diamond and crucially a player who moves the needle. Been United’s top target for months. Have to find a way to get it done #mufc pic.twitter.com/GJFJa852FJ — Nathan Salt (@NathSalt1) March 4, 2026Anderson’s stellar form saw him earn his maiden England call-up – and subsequent cap – in September 2025.Even amidst Forest’s struggles over the last seven months since 2025/2026 got underway, it’s highly anticipated that the 23-year-old, valued in the region of £90m, will be a shoo-in for the Three Lions’ World Cup squad in the summer. Elliot Anderson has played more line-breaking passes (303) than any other player in the Premier League this season. Unbelievable ball-winner AND distributor. 👏 pic.twitter.com/XhE2g2ufw9 — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 9, 2026However, that may mean that United and his other suitors will have to wait until the culmination of the tournament to really advance in negotiations.What one reporter is hearing about Anderson and United/CityWeighing in on the speculation that City could easily trump United financially in talks for Anderson, Ben Jacobs told The United Stand: “My intel from within the club at the moment is not that Manchester United definitively think they’re going to lose the race for Elliot Anderson or that he’s going to go off to Manchester City or that the player is only going to make a decision based on finances.“There is an appreciation that Man City will be able to offer more money, but Manchester United are certainly going to be able to improve upon his current Nottingham Forest package as well. So this is one I think is going to run into the late April/Early May period before we get real clarity.”