Rio Ferdinand has encouraged Manchester United to make Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson their primary midfield goal ahead of the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali.
The Red Devils have identified central midfield as their key area of focus ahead of the upcoming transfer window having spent around £200million to overhaul their misfiring attack last summer.
Old Trafford bosses had also been keen to usher in a central midfielder to suit Ruben Amorim’s much-maligned 3-4-3 system last summer – and a bunch of names were linked, including Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and the £100m-rated Anderson.
Brighton even confirmed that United made an ambitious approach for Baleba before the transfer deadline, only to easily ‘go away’ when informed the Cameroon international was not on the market.
Though uncertainty stays surrounding Michael Carrick’s position in the recent seat, work is ongoing behind the scenes at United to explore ways by which the squad could possibly be bolstered in the course of the park.
The necessity for reinforcements was made much more clear when Casemiro confirmed that this season could be his last at United, with the veteran Brazilian distancing himself from any suggestion of a possible U-turn.
Reports emanating out of Spain last month suggested Casemiro had himself picked out fellow countryman Guimaraes as the best substitute on the Theatre of Dreams.
Get your football fix
Metro‘s weekly newsletter In The Mixer delivers punchy evaluation and breakdowns of the most important football stories on to your inbox.
Join here, it’s an open goal.
Guimaraes has long been mooted as a possible goal for United, along with Newcastle team-mate Tonali, who is known to be valued within the region of £100m at St James’ Park.
Nonetheless, Ferdinand hopes Anderson is placed at the highest of United’s wishlist as he feels his unique skillset would ‘absolutely complement’ Kobbie Mainoo within the engine room next season.
‘Guimaraes and Tonali wouldn’t be my first-choice midfield signings this summer,’ the legendary ex-United and England defender said on his Rio Presents YouTube channel.
‘It’s Elliot Anderson. His age, he’s 23 years old… Guimaraes is 28 and Tonali is 25, soon to be 26, in order that counts for loads for me. I would like young, hungry players in my squad.
‘He complements Mainoo. I feel Mainoo goes to be one among the essential players within the team now, they’re going to construct around him and I feel Elliot Anderson absolutely complements him.’
On a possible Anderson-Mainoo midfield axis, Ferdinand went on: ‘They’re different. Anderson has that ability, that energy to get across the park, he’s aggressive. We’d like those legs.
‘And he wins the ball. He’s more combative than the opposite two.
‘Elliot Anderson is the one player to win over 150 duels, win possession greater than 150 times, and win at the very least 50 fouls within the Premier League, the entire Premier League I have to add, this season. They’re my the reason why, guys.’
Anderson’s stock has soared during the last 18 months and the 23-year-old Nottingham Forest star appears a shoo-in for Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad in the summertime.
Facing the media prior to the Three Lions’ recent friendly with Japan, Anderson reassured each Forest and England fans that he had been blocking out the incessant noise and speculation over his future.
‘We have now the World Cup this summer, my eyes are on that,’ he told reporters.
‘Playing for England, I’ve got the badge on, that’s all I’m excited about in the meanwhile.
‘All of the games are the identical, I’m just happening the pitch and doing my best. Fight for whatever strip I even have on, that’s all I’m doing.’
Anderson’s current contract on the City Ground runs through to June 2029.
Who could be one of the best signing for Manchester United?
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the newest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Ray Parlour tells Mikel Arteta to do away with Arsenal’s ‘deadwood’ after shock FA Cup defeat
MORE: Gareth Barry urges Manchester United to sign £80m star before the World Cup
MORE: Wayne Rooney names the manager Man Utd ‘100 per cent must’ appoint