Manchester United still aim to secure Anderson in the final push, despite his inclination towards Manchester City! Newcastle's two key midfielders are set, with one already confirmed.

Manchester United still hope to secure Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson this summer, making him the headline transfer target. However, they face competition from their city rivals Manchester City, widely regarded as the strongest contender to acquire this 23-year-old England international midfielder.

In response, United plan to attract him by building the team around Anderson, viewing him as the ideal defensive midfielder. Particularly, Anderson's status as a mainstay in the England national team aligns perfectly with owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's criteria, as he desires homegrown stars for the club.

Anderson, who came through Newcastle United's youth system, joined the squad only after England's friendly against Uruguay on Friday, confirming his inclusion in the 2026 USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup roster. According to manager Tuchel's plans, the same 11 players as Anderson will definitely participate in the World Cup, likely even as starters.

United's other hope is that Manchester City will not rush into a high-priced midfield signing this summer. Last year, City already signed Nico González and Reijnders, and youth prospect Nico O'Reilly can also play midfield. Reports suggest City would only pursue Anderson at a high price if Rodri fails to regain his best form.

However, hoping City won't buy a midfielder this summer is nearly an impossible goal. Especially considering Rodri's recent public admiration for Real Madrid, City's midfield rebuild is almost certain. Moreover, Bernardo Silva also desires a move to Barcelona, so City, like United, will likely sign more than one new midfielder.

Anderson's contract with Nottingham Forest runs until 2029, meaning his price is extremely high, requiring £80 million to £100 million. United also have close ties with his agency "Stellar," which represents 20-year-old United academy player Kobbie Mainoo.

In matches against United and City this season, Anderson performed excellently, scoring against City to help Nottingham Forest secure a 2-2 draw. He will also feature in United's final seven matches this season, with Forest visiting Old Trafford in the penultimate round.

Ideally, United hope to acquire Anderson and Newcastle's Sandro Tonali. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed Tonali is also high on the recruitment list. "United have expressed interest to Tonali's agent and held preliminary talks," Romano said. "No agreement or deep negotiations exist yet, but Newcastle anticipate transfer activity around Tonali this summer."

Regarding Newcastle captain Bruno Guimarães, he is lower on United's priority list. Romano explained: "United admire Guimarães but have not engaged in active negotiations or offered any contract to his agent. United met his agent weeks ago, but that doesn't mean talks were about Guimarães' transfer; agents represent many players, and meetings with top agents are normal for clubs like United."

United aim to sign two midfielders before next season. With Casemiro confirmed to depart soon, Ratcliffe's management prefers players from the Premier League. Besides Anderson and Tonali, Brighton's Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, and Bournemouth's Alex Scott are all Premier League midfielders highly admired by United. The final decision on United's manager will also significantly influence the recruitment choices.