How Man United could sign their answer to Elliot Anderson

Manchester United’s plans for the summer transfer window have been simple – land multiple players who can improve the club’s central midfield department.

INEOS had huge plans to overhaul such an area and hand Michael Carrick the calibre of player capable of filling the void left by the recently departed Casemiro.

However, their efforts have not been as successful as they first anticipated, with the majority of main transfer targets joining other clubs in England’s top-flight.

Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans are the two players who have arrived at Old Trafford this summer – but the supporters will no doubt be gutted after missing out on one long-standing target.

Missing out on Anderson showcases INEOS’s struggles at Man United

Before the summer window even opened, United were laying the foundations to secure a move for Elliot Anderson from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest.

Key work was conducted behind the scenes, but INEOS refused to match the Reds’ asking price, which stood at way over £100m – resulting in the Red Devils pulling out of a deal for his services.

As a result, rivals Manchester City swooped in and landed the England international for a reported £116m – subsequently breaking the club-record fee spent on a player.

Missing out on his signature has once again highlighted the hierarchy’s biggest struggle at Old Trafford – their reluctance to spend big on proven and top-quality talents.

The Red Devils are now the only club within the big six not to spend at least £100m on a single player, often missing out on key targets to teams in and around them in the division.

Anderson’s move to the Etihad is the latest example of Carrick’s men missing out on their main targets, subsequently having to sign players who are further down their shortlist.

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

How Man United could sign their own Anderson

Despite the aforementioned deals for Santos and Tielemans, United are desperately on the hunt to secure a move for a third central midfielder this summer.

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

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

Fabrizio Romano has constantly been covering the move and stated on his YouTube: “Man Utd have spoke to the agents of the player and they have held concrete conversations.

“Man Utd are yet to reach out to Roma because they are yet to decide which player they want as defensive midfielder. They have not sent an official offer.”

Despite no offer yet being made for the French star, it’s evident that the Red Devils are putting the groundwork in place to land the 25-year-old, who’s valued at £42m.

Such a move could see Carrick’s men land a player who could become his own version of Anderson, with Kone emulating the Englishman in starring at the recent World Cup.

When comparing their respective stats from the recent tournament in the United States, the Roma star managed to outperform the new City man in various key areas.

Kone achieved an impressive tally of 92% passes completed, whilst achieving a 71% long ball accuracy rate – two tallies higher than the Englishman.

The former of the two figures placed him in the top 10% of all players at the competition – highlighting his tremendous ability to be a tempo setter at the heart of the side.

Without the ball, the 25-year-old also registered more interceptions per 90, whilst being dribbled past on fewer occasions – which could make him the perfect ball-winner for Carrick’s side.

Kone was arguably a cleaner ball-winner than Anderson too, subsequently committing fewer fouls and achieving a higher tackle success rate in the competition.

Missing out on Anderson will be a bitter blow for the Red Devils faithful, but it’s crucial the hierarchy continue to work tirelessly behind the scenes to land their next version of the midfielder.

Kone is seemingly high up on the club’s shortlist at present and could even prove to be a better addition than the £116m star given the mammoth price difference.

£42m would be a phenomenal price point for a 25-year-old who’s at the perfect age to reach the next stage in his development and could star at Old Trafford for many years to come.