Premier League-proven signings were the theme of Manchester United’s window, hence, their interest in Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton, but the ideal target is someone else entirely.
Man Utd took a risk in the transfer window by letting the window end without signing a midfielder.
There was interest in Carlos Baleba, but it developed too late, and Brighton weren’t willing to play ball by that point.
Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace was also under focus, but he’s far from a destroyer and would be equally as expensive. In comes another PL player in the form of his life.
Man Utd’s ideal midfield target is Elliot Anderson
Carlos Baleba is a destroyer who’s learning how to play with the ball, while Adam Wharton is an orchestrator who needs to add defensive skills to his game.
Then there is Elliot Anderson, who has set the Premier League alight with Nottingham Forest by excelling in both those areas.
After getting his first two England appearances on the back of a breakout season with Forest last year, Anderson is in the form of his life.
As a natural defensive midfielder at just 22 years old, Anderson is looking like the next big thing in the Premier League with his all-around skill set.
He has the defensive tenacity to eat up the ground, has the passing skills to break lines from deep, and the dribbling skills to evade the press and get his team moving forward.
His engine and supreme fitness allow him to stay available, a crucial quality for Ruben Amorim who has been burned by injury-prone players at Old Trafford.
Despite standing at a shade below 6 ft, he’s a force to be reckoned with in the air due to his intelligence of movement and way of contesting headers.
One area he needs to improve in is his passing. Coincidentally, that’s the skill United’s current midfielders have in abundance, be it Kobbie Mainoo or Bruno Fernandes.
His initial role can be that of a destroyer who passes the ball to his more capable teammates or carries it forward himself. As one in the deep pivot, he has the potential to become a complete midfielder.
Man Utd can sign Elliot Anderson’s partner as well
With Casemiro’s contract coming off the books next summer and questions around Bruno Fernandes’s future, United can do for their midfield next season what they did for their attack this season.
In a dream scenario, they could sign both Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba when Casemiro leaves, and, potentially, Manuel Ugarte fails to convince.
Adam Wharton is a lesser need because Mainoo needs to be given a chance in the first team and their skill sets overlap too much.
Baleba remains United’s dream, but they could do a lot worse than look at Anderson as well, especially if he keeps up this form for the rest of the season.
With Ange Postecoglou arriving at Forest, changes will be afoot, and United can take advantage of that uncertainty by poaching Anderson next summer.
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