"No secret": 23yo midfielder is Man Utd's prime target to replace Casemiro

Manchester United have identified Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson as the prime target to replace Casemiro this summer, according to The Daily Mail.

The Red Devils are expected to sign a marquee defensive midfielder at the end of the season. It has already been confirmed that Casemiro will leave at the expiry of his contract (June 30).

United have been linked with several names, including Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton, but The Daily Mail cite it is ‘no secret’ that Anderson is the top target in the ‘corridors’ of Old Trafford.

The Newcastle United graduate is regarded as the perfect fit, given that he possesses strong defensive attributes and fine ball-playing ability, which have recently made him an England regular.

Forest may command a fee of over £100 million to part ways with their prized asset. United may need Champions League football to convince Anderson, with Manchester City also big admirers.

Anderson would be a perfect replacement for Casemiro

The 23-year-old has been a revelation since his move from the Magpies to Forest in the summer of 2024. He played an instrumental role for the Tricky Trees last season as they qualified for European football.

Anderson’s statistics have improved in his second year at Forest despite their Premier League woes. He has completed 58 passes per league appearance with an accuracy of 86 percent.

His passing efficiency should only improve with better players around him. Meanwhile, he has been superb defensively, averaging 8.4 recoveries and eight duels won per game.

The Englishman has also won almost three tackles per outing. Anderson has likewise chipped in with three goal contributions and would be a like-for-like replacement for Casemiro at United.

United are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League as things stand. They are only one point behind fourth-placed Liverpool and have a game in hand against Arsenal.

Qualifying for the elite European competition could be crucial to securing Anderson’s services, given the huge transfer fee required as well as the interest from arch-rivals Man City.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .