The March international break is prime time for players’ agents and club executives to hold meetings about what the summer transfer window is going to look like.
This year is no different and there have been ample meetings across the past 10 days which will go some way to determining how clubs like United map out their business, ideally ahead of the World Cup this summer.
This week’s Man United Confidential answers your burning questions…
What’s going on with Elliot Anderson?
The million-dollar question that Anderson himself did little to clear up when speaking alongside England boss Thomas Tuchel on Monday.
Anderson, as previously reported, has been United’s No 1 target for several months now.
United’s recruitment team work from shortlists when it comes to their targets and that paid off with moves for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo last summer. Anderson is seen at United as the player that would raise the quality of the midfield the most due to his wide-ranging skillset as a hybrid No 6/No 8.
The issue those in agent circles speak of around Anderson is that Manchester City also have the Nottingham Forest midfielder as priority No 1 and they are understood to be ahead in the race right now.
Elliot Anderson is Manchester United’s No1 target and has been for several months. The only problem? Manchester City want him too
While we are not at a ‘done deal’ stage yet – United wouldn’t be pursuing meetings and still pushing for him if that were the case – the word right now is that City are looking to accelerate their move prior to the World Cup, with both Manchester clubs wary that Anderson’s £100m price tag could rise even further if he impresses in North America.
With meetings ongoing and more expected to come out across the next 10 to 14 days on situations around big-name players, United need to make a big play to try and blow City – who are increasingly confident they will be able to start a midfield rebuild with Anderson as the centrepiece – out of the water.
Is Sandro Tonali still in the mix?
In short, yes.
But suggestions last week that a deal was about to be struck, or close to agreement, were premature and too strong, leading to a downplaying of it all as of today.
Tonali would be expensive, that much we know, but there is a belief that Newcastle will sell a major asset this summer and would rather it not be Bruno Guimaraes or Lewis Hall.
The Italian remains high on United’s board and while some insiders have been keen to cool talk…