How Man United can sign their response to Elliot Anderson

Manchester United’s plans for the summer transfer window were simple – get more players to improve the club’s midfield.

INEOS had big plans to fix such a place and give Michael Carrick a quality player who can fill the void left by the recently departed Casemiro.

However, their efforts have not been as successful as they first expected, as most of their transfer targets have joined other clubs in England’s top flight.

Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans are two of the players who arrived at Old Trafford this summer – but fans will no doubt be disappointed after missing out on one long-awaited target.

Missing out on Anderson shows INEOS’ difficulties at Man United

Before the summer window opened, United were laying the groundwork to secure Elliot Anderson from fellow Premier League club Nottingham Forest.

Significant work was done behind the scenes, but INEOS refused to match the Reds’ asking price, which was in excess of £100m – resulting in the Red Devils pulling out of the deal for his services.

As a result, rivals Manchester City swooped in and snapped up the Englishman for around £116m – breaking the club’s record fee for a player.

Missing out on his signature also highlighted a major struggle of the leaders at Old Trafford – their reluctance to spend big on proven and top-class talent.

The Red Devils are now the only club among the six clubs not to spend at least £100m on one player, often missing out on significant points to the teams next to and around them in the division.

Anderson’s move to the Etihad is the latest example of Carrick’s men missing out on a key target, after which they have had to sign players who have dropped significantly from their selection list.

His comments about City being the “Kings of Manchester” no doubt rubbed salt into the wounds of the Red Devils faithful after they were unable to secure his signature.

How Man United can sign their Anderson

Apart from the aforementioned deals for Santos and Tielemans, United are keen to sign a third central midfielder this summer.

£85m has already been spent on the two talents this window, but the need for another defensive line is desired by Carrick to complete his overhaul of the department.

Many other options have been considered since the transfer window opened, but none have been mentioned as much as Roma talent Manu Kone.

Fabrizio Romano has been closing in on the move and said on his YouTube: “Man Utd have spoken to the player’s agents and they have held concrete talks.

“Man Utd has not been able to contact Roma because they have yet to decide which player they want as a defensive midfielder. They have not sent an official request.”

Although no offer has yet been made for the French star, it is understood that the Red Devils are laying the groundwork for the 25-year-old, who is worth £42m.

A move like this could see Carrick’s men land a potential signing for Anderson, with Kone emulating the Englishman’s performance at the recent World Cup.

When comparing their statistics from the last tournament in the United States, the Roma star managed to surpass the new City man in various important areas.

Kone scored an impressive 92% completion rate, while achieving a long ball accuracy rate of 71% – two points higher than the Englishman.

The former of these two figures placed him in the top 10% of all players in the competition – highlighting his great ability to be a tempo player at the heart of the team.

Off the ball, the 25-year-old also registered the most clearances in 90, while being tackled on several occasions – which would make him Carrick’s most successful player.

Kone arguably won the ball cleaner than Anderson too, after which he made fewer mistakes and achieved a higher success rate in the tournament.

Missing out on Anderson will be a blow to the Red Devils faithful, but it is imperative that management continue to work tirelessly to find their next type of midfielder.

Kone appears to be high on the club’s shortlist at the moment and could be a better addition than the £116m star given the huge price difference.

£42m would be a staggering price for a 25-year-old who is at an age that is ripe for the next stage of his development and could play at Old Trafford for years to come.