Not Anderson: Man Utd now want another Forest star who costs £80m less

After monitoring Elliot Anderson for months, Manchester United are now reportedly considering a move for his Nottingham Forest teammate Ibrahim Sangare.The Red Devils are plotting a major midfield ahead of next summer. The department is already suffering a shortage of options, and Casemiro’s announced departure will only aggravate the situation.Moreover, Manuel Ugarte has failed to impress after more than 18 months at Old Trafford, while Bruno Fernandes’ future apparently hinges on several factors.Man Utd impressed by Forest star Ibrahim SangareOver the past few months, several sources in the media have identified Anderson as Man Utd’s priority target to bolster the middle of the park.But while it remains to be seen if INEOS are still hellbent on landing the 23-year-old, sports journalist Steve Bates claims that the club’s directors have been highly impressed with Sangare, considering him the right profile for the defensive midfielder role. 🚨 Manchester United’s recruitment team have been impressed with Nottingham Forest’s Ibrahim Sangaré as a player who can bolster defensive midfield. #MUFC [@sbates_people] pic.twitter.com/aBXjrJmeZj — mufcmpb (@mufcMPB) February 23, 2026The Ivorian began his career in his home nation at the academy of AS Denguélé, before making his way to Europe through the gates of Toulouse in 2016.After four years in France, Sangare signed for PSV Eindhoven in 2020, and his exploits in the Netherlands earned him a £30 million move to Forest in 2023.(Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)The Abidjan native has been a key figure at the City Ground ever since. His contract with the club is valid until 2028, and Transfermarkt currently values him at €22 million (circa £19m), making him a significantly cheaper alternative to Anderson, whose asking price is said to be around £100 million.Why targeting the affordable Sangare makes sense for Man UtdSince Man Utd are planning to sign at least two new midfielders, bringing Sangare shouldn’t necessarily rule out Anderson’s arrival. After all, the two players have proven to be compatible over the past few seasons, with the England international performing box-to-box duties, and the Ivorian operating in a deeper role.Nevertheless, United might be reluctant to spend £100 million on a new No.8 now that Kobbie Mainoo has made the role his.Instead, they could allocate the bulk of the midfield transfer kit on a new No.6, either a deep-lying playmaker like Adam Wharton or an enforcer like Carlos Baleba, while simultaneously gunning for Sangare, who is considered an affordable option. Percentiles Duel% Poss won Prog carries Fwd passes Fwd pass% Key passes Prog passes Minutes Ibrahim Sangare 80.9 79.3 17.0 64.3 77.4 8.4 57.4 1436 Elliot Anderson 64.7 90.1 56.3 94.8 74.0 59.8 95.9 2574 Casemiro 79.1 99.6 6.7 89.3 34.4 45.6 82.6 1853 (Stats by DataMB)While the 28-year-old’s overall stats pale in comparison to Anderson’s, it should be noted that Sangare performs less mobile tasks, making him less involved in the buildup, instead focusing on winning back possession.In this sense, the Ivorian international’s role is somewhat similar to Casemiro’s, albeit with a less creative flair.