Chelsea’s loss could be United’s gain as midfield transfer tussle heats up – Athletic

It is well documented at this stage that Manchester United will be going all out to land an elite replacement for Casemiro in the summer. The Brazilian is expected to depart at the conclusion of the current campaign, with the Red Devils identifying Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest as the perfect replacement. However, noisy neighbours Manchester City are reportedly in pole position for the Englishman, who prefers a switch to the Etihad over Old Trafford. The 23-year-old’s price tag of £125 million is another major obstacle that INEOS need to overcome if they are to win the race. Elliot Anderson race heating up However, there could be a ray of light at the end of the tunnel, if The Athletic are to be believed. Their report reveals that City have joined the race for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, and that could potentially allow the 20-time English league champions to hijack the deal for the Forest talisman. “Manchester City are considering Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez as a midfield option this summer. “City’s interest in the Argentina international is at an early stage and there are other midfield targets they are looking at, including Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson. City looking at Enzo Fernandez “Real Madrid are also among Fernandez’s admirers, but at this stage it is unclear whether they would make a move for him. “The Athletic reported City are also in the mix for Anderson and the Etihad is thought to be his favoured destination, with the England international also topping Manchester United’s list for midfielders this summer.” Should City stave off competition from Real Madrid to land Chelsea’s World Cup-winning midfielder, Elliot Anderson might also change his mind regarding a switch to the blue half of Manchester. The England international is expected to play a key role for England in the upcoming World Cup, and he will not want to play second fiddle wherever he chooses to move to. At United, Elliot Anderson will be nailed on to start most games alongside Kobbie Mainoo. The ball is in his court as things stand. 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 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