Amorim admits transfer mistake as Man Utd deal heats up

Manchester United have reportedly stepped up their pursuit of Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson as they look to win the race for his signature in January.

The England international has been earmarked as a priority target for Ruben Amorim’s side during the winter transfer window and they are eager to finalise a deal amid serious competition from fellow top Premier League clubs.

Reports speculate that Manchester City are ready to pay close to €90 million to sign Anderson in 2026, with Pep Guardiola a huge admirer of the 22-year-old, while Chelsea have also been tipped to pursue a transfer despite the plethora of midfield options available to Enzo Maresca.

However, Man Utd have been linked with a move for Anderson for several months and they have now stepped up their pursuit of his signature ahead of the January window.

That is according to renowned X account IndyKaila, who posted on social media: “Man Utd officials met CAA Stellar who are a world leading sports agency. Elliot Anderson is represented by CAA Stellar.

“Man Utd presented their long term project to the player who will leave Nottingham Forest this January or [in the] summer.”

Anderson still has over three-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract at Nottingham Forest, however he appears destined to leave the City Ground in 2026 amid his impressive recent form.

Man Utd to sign Elliot Anderson?

Man Utd’s intensified pursuit of Anderson comes after their failure to sign a new central midfielder during the summer.

The Red Devils were expected to sign a replacement for the departed Christian Eriksen before the start of the 2025-26 campaign, but they were unable to finalise a deal with Brighton & Hove Albion for Carlos Baleba, while moves for Lucien Agoume and Adam Wharton also failed to materialise.

Amorim’s side have now accepted that bolstering their midfield ranks is a priority in 2026 and they are currently the frontrunners to land Anderson.

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