Manchester United is 'going all in' to secure an English player, planning to build their team around this midfielder.

Manchester United is focusing all resources on acquiring Elliot Anderson and ready to design their whole summer transfer strategy centered on this midfielder, provided they can beat intense competition from local rival Manchester City.

Observers believe Manchester City remains the most likely candidate to secure the signature of the midfielder from Nottingham Forest. However, Manchester United has identified Anderson, 23 years old, as the ideal target to upgrade their midfield and intends to place him at the core of their upcoming recruitment strategy.

Anderson currently has a contract with Nottingham Forest until 2029, and his increasing prominence in the England national team has significantly boosted his transfer value. The former Newcastle player was even named in the list of 11 players set to join the England squad after the friendly match with Uruguay on Friday.

Notably, all 11 players are almost certain to be included in manager Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad, or at least in the starting lineup. This further strengthens Anderson's status and importance in the transfer market.

Regarding Manchester City, they strengthened their midfield last year with Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders, while League Cup final hero Nico O’Reilly is also a proper midfielder. Therefore, there is information suggesting City will only seriously pursue Anderson if key player Rodri cannot return to peak form.

Anderson is currently one of the most valuable assets of the agency Stellar, which also manages Kobbie Mainoo. Manchester United's young midfielder, now 20 years old, is very close to signing a new long-term contract after starting the last 11 matches.

Anderson's performance in the 2-2 draw between Nottingham Forest and Manchester United at City Ground in November left a strong impression. He is expected to face the "Red Devils" again at Old Trafford in the final home match of the season in mid-May. Shortly before that, Anderson also contributed to Forest securing a point in a 2-2 draw against Manchester City, scoring his second goal of the season.

Manchester United aims to sign two midfielders for the next season, as Casemiro is likely to depart. The club's leadership prioritizes players who have proven their ability in the Premier League. Besides Anderson, other targets include Adam Wharton, Sandro Tonali, Carlos Baleba, and Alex Scott.

Among these, Wharton is reportedly keen to leave Crystal Palace to join a Champions League-qualified team, while Tonali has also hinted at a possible departure from Newcastle – a team likely absent from European competition next season. Manchester United inquired about Baleba last summer, and Alex Scott has attracted attention with impressive performances for Bournemouth.

In the previous summer transfer window, the "Red Devils" prioritized strengthening their attack and spent over £200 million to sign Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko. At that time, they believed the midfield had sufficient options for a season without European competition. However, with the aim of securing a Champions League spot, the Manchester club must reconsider.

Currently, Manchester United mainly uses a quartet of Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes, and occasionally Manuel Ugarte in midfield. Ugarte has only started 9 matches, with the team winning just one of those. Meanwhile, Casemiro and Mainoo have started together in all 11 matches since manager Carrick took temporary charge, with Fernandes pushed up to play in his familiar number 10 role.