In every great Manchester United side, you’ll typically find a midfield lynchpin, a driving force behind it all from the centre of the park.
In Sir Alex Ferguson’s pomp, he was blessed with two such figures in the form of Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, the two men forming the bedrock of the side that would claim treble-winning glory in 1998/99.
Ironically, also the two men who actually missed the crowning moment at Camp Nou through suspension and injury, respectively, the Keane and Scholes pairing is arguably the best there’s ever been at Old Trafford.
There’s an argument, too, that they are the “best pair in the history of English football”, in the view of an – unbiased – Gary Neville.
It would be unfair to suggest that the modern-day duo of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are way off that status, considering their own individual quality, but this is still a brittle pairing, a short-term fix that Ruben Amorim has almost been forced to resort to.
Having bolstered the top end of the pitch over the summer, United are just about getting by despite a lack of midfield reinforcement – could that all change in 2026?
Latest on Man Utd's midfield search
There is a frustration that the Red Devils left themselves somewhat short in midfield for the new season, although it was fanciful to assume that after splashing out £250m on four senior signings, another sizeable investment would be dished out on a midfielder.
There was notable interest in the likes of Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba, with the latter man believed to be particularly keen on making the move to Old Trafford. A reported £100m plus price tag, however, proved prohibitive.
Rather than merely turning to a bargain alternative, United have perhaps wisely played the waiting game instead, ready to attack the market again, be it in January or next summer.
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According to recent reports from Caught Offside, there is said to be a growing confidence that Jason Wilcox and co can strike a deal for Nottingham Forest star, Elliot Anderson, with the England international said to be ‘open’ to making the switch.
That willingness to join Amorim’s ranks has sparked hope back in Manchester that United can secure a ‘bargain’ fee for his signature, seemingly far below the widely touted £100m asking price that Forest are believed to have set.
As per the report, a figure closer to £60m might be more realistic, with Anderson perhaps representing the midfield solution that Amorim is desperate for.
How Man Utd's £60m target compares to Casemiro
Anderson is certainly man of the moment right now, with recent international breaks seemingly seeing him nail down a number six role alongside Declan Rice for England, ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Kobbie Mainoo might be a cautionary tale of what can happen to those who enjoy a meteoric rise at club and international level, but the Forest man can only be judged on what he’s doing right now.
At present, he’s looking sensational.
In the view of talkSPORT’s Max Scott, the 22-year-old simply “has it all”, with the reporter even going as far as to suggest that the ex-Newcastle United talent has “a bit of Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane all rolled into one”.
A rising English star, like Scholes, Anderson could well follow in the footsteps of Keane by moving from the City Ground to the Theatre of Dreams, with that switch having proven so fruitful for the Irishman under Ferguson.
Those might be wild, hyperbolic comparisons to be making, although that is the level of quality that the £60m maestro possesses, having even been likened to a young Paul Gascoigne amid his prior emergence on Tyneside.
Newcastle’s PSR-related loss has certainly been Forest’s gain, with United now hoping that they can steal a march on the competition and tempt the £40k-per-week playmaker into jumping ship in 2026.
Casemiro is currently holding the fort alongside Fernandes, although the 33-year-old’s inability to last the full 90 minutes is a growing problem, having been substituted off on seven occasions this season, while seeing red against Chelsea.
Only five of the 20 goals United have conceded in all competitions have come when the resurgent Brazilian is on the pitch, but he certainly isn’t the Champions League-winning force that he once was. On current evidence, Anderson is looking a step above.
Non-penalty goals
0.44
0.00
Assists
0.15
0.09
Shot-creating actions
1.32
4.18
Passes attempted
52.77
76.45
Pass completion
81.4%
83.4%
Progressive passes
4.40
8.82
Progressive carries
0.15
1.36
Successful take-ons
0.29
1.27
Tackles
3.22
2.64
Interceptions
0.72
0.91
In the Premier League this season, for instance, the younger man ranks in the top 1% of midfielders for passes attempted and progressive passes, as well as in the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.
Casemiro, by contrast, ranks in just the top 36%, the bottom 45% and the bottom 30% for those same three metrics, respectively, albeit while coming out on top for both non-penalty goals and tackles made.
That said, Anderson is certainly no slouch in that latter department – as his 2.64 tackles per 90 record illustrates – providing Amorim with a potential all-round, all-action, athletic upgrade who can instantly hit the ground running in the much-discussed 3-4-2-1 system.
While it remains to be seen if it will require a bid of closer to £100m or £60m to secure his services, United must do what they can to make Anderson the new centre-piece of Amorim’s ageing midfield.
Man Utd "confident" they'll sign Anderson for £40m less than Forest's asking price
He’s keen on an Old Trafford transfer.
ByCharlie Smith Nov 22, 2025