United have “not given up” on beating noisy neighbours to the punch for elite PL superstar – report

Manchester United’s midfield revamp is starting to take shape following the club’s acquisition of Ederson from Atalanta. The Brazilian is expected to be the first of three new arrivals to compensate for the departures of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte. Mateus Fernandes of West Ham United is reportedly next in line, but the chase has been complicated due to the Hammers’ asking price and Real Madrid’s entry into the race. Both the Serie A star and the Portugal international are not seen as Casemiro’s successor, with INEOS earmarking Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest as the perfect fit. City yet to agree a fee for Elliot Anderson The problem with the situation is Forest’s asking price and the fact that Manchester City are currently leading the race. A gap in valuation remains between both clubs, which will allow the Red Devils to pull off an unlikely hijack should they wish to go ahead with their plans. While it has been reported that INEOS do not want to get embroiled in a bidding war and protracted negotiations, The Daily Mail have claimed that United have not yet given up. “Fans have their hearts set on more eye-catching targets like Elliot Anderson, Aurelien Tchouameni and Sandro Tonali. United have not given up “United will sign at least one more central midfielder this summer and have not given up on Anderson, despite the feeling that he is destined for Manchester City.” Whether anything comes out of this remains to be seen, but it is heartening to see the 20-time English league champions pushing their noisy neighbours all the way, despite City’s unlimited wealth. Signing alternatives like Tchouameni or Tonali will be far from smooth either, due to Real Madrid’s stance and the Italian’s asking price and wage demands. All eyes are on how INEOS tackle this whole mess. After a fantastic five-month spell, Michael Carrick will need all the help he can get if he is to become successful in his first full season in charge. Feature image Jack Thomas via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Latest Top Stories… Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25