Pundit Ian Wright has urged Manchester United to go all-out in pursuit of Nottingham Forest ace Elliot Anderson this summer.
The Reds midfielder is expected to be a wanted man when the transfer window opens. Head coach Vitor Pereira has said the club are keen to keep hold of him, but it is very likely their resolve will be tested.
Manchester City are considered frontrunners for Anderson’s signature but United also have an interest in him. Amid talk of a price tag in excess of £100 million for the England international, Wright believes he is worth breaking the bank for.
“I like him,” the former striker said on The Overlap podcast. “When you see him play with England, he seems to go up a level. When you see him sometimes at Forest, he does things where you think, ‘I don’t think he’d do that with England, otherwise he probably wouldn’t be in there’.
“But he seems to be a player that when he gets to the right level, he gets his head in. His ability is brilliant.”
He added: “Man United should do everything to try to make sure they get him. If you are United and you’ve needed that kind of midfielder for so long and Man City are trying to take him off you, then you got to go where you got to go, because you’ve got to get him.
“You’ve got to get him. I’d pay for him. I’d pay for him.”
Former Forest and United midfielder Roy Keane, however, is not convinced by such a lofty valuation. He argued Anderson is still developing.
“He’s got a chance. I’m still holding back a little bit,” Keane said. “I watched him against Newcastle and he was desperate; really poor in the game. Scored a brilliant goal at the end, so fair play.
“The Villa game, again, a big game. He was poor against Villa in the Europa League. So when I see him in those moments, I just hold back a little bit. But will he get a big move in the summer? Probably.
“He settled into England really well, but England group matches were pretty easy. But that’s a challenge for a player when the games are easy. It will be a nice test for him in the World Cup knockout games.”
Asked if he could understand paying £70-80m for the 23-year-old, Keane said: “Yeah, I’d understand that. But if you’re talking about £100 million or £125 million, all that crazy money, I’d be like, hold on a second. But if you’re talking about 60 or 70, yeah, you’d have to be interested.
“He has shown good moments but I always go back to how he’s still learning his trade. I’ll always be harsh on midfielders and he’s got years to mature yet. But United obviously would have to be looking at him.”
Anderson is not the only Forest player to have been linked with a move to Old Trafford. Midfield teammate Ibrahim Sangare is said to have also caught United’s eye, and Wright is certain he would fit in well
“Maybe not some of his technicality, but his physicality,” Wright said. “You could get him in at United, with the quality around him and he would just do that physical stuff. I think that’s the kind of profile (they need).”
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