The March international break is prime time for players’ agents and club executives to hold meetings about what the summer transfer window is going to look like.
This year is no different and there have been ample meetings across the past 10 days which will go some way to determining how clubs like United map out their business, ideally ahead of the World Cup this summer.
This week’s Man United Confidential answers your burning questions…
What’s going on with Elliot Anderson?
The million-dollar question that Anderson himself did little to clear up when speaking alongside England boss Thomas Tuchel on Monday.
Anderson, as previously reported, has been United’s No 1 target for several months now.
United’s recruitment team work from shortlists when it comes to their targets and that paid off with moves for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo last summer. Anderson is seen at United as the player that would raise the quality of the midfield the most due to his wide-ranging skillset as a hybrid No 6/No 8.
The issue those in agent circles speak of around Anderson is that Manchester City also have the Nottingham Forest midfielder as priority No 1 and they are understood to be ahead in the race right now.
Elliot Anderson is Manchester United’s No1 target and has been for several months. The only problem? Manchester City want him too
While we are not at a ‘done deal’ stage yet – United wouldn’t be pursuing meetings and still pushing for him if that were the case – the word right now is that City are looking to accelerate their move prior to the World Cup, with both Manchester clubs wary that Anderson’s £100m price tag could rise even further if he impresses in North America.
With meetings ongoing and more expected to come out across the next 10 to 14 days on situations around big-name players, United need to make a big play to try and blow City – who are increasingly confident they will be able to start a midfield rebuild with Anderson as the centrepiece – out of the water.
Is Sandro Tonali still in the mix?
In short, yes.
But suggestions last week that a deal was about to be struck, or close to agreement, were premature and too strong, leading to a downplaying of it all as of today.
Tonali would be expensive, that much we know, but there is a belief that Newcastle will sell a major asset this summer and would rather it not be Bruno Guimaraes or Lewis Hall.
The Italian remains high on United’s board and while some insiders have been keen to cool talk around him in the past few days, his name is not going to disappear off it, especially if Anderson to City edges closer.
United have spent recent months determined to land at least one A-grade midfielder, with Anderson top of their wishlist.
But Tonali is expected to be a moveable asset – albeit an expensive one – this summer and when that materialises, expect United to be front of the queue.
Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali (right) is also on United’s wishlist, with the Toon keen to avoid selling his team-mate Bruno Guimaraes this summer
What about Adam Wharton?
Wharton is another midfielder in United’s thinking, albeit behind both Anderson and Tonali, and will likely prove a major domino in this summer’s window.
Confidential can reveal that Real Madrid are back in play here and the Spanish giants sent a scout to watch him live in the past fortnight.
Madrid’s plan this summer is to sign Nico Paz from Como, and then add a second central midfielder, with Wharton understood to be third on that list behind Rodri and Enzo Fernandez, who is eager to leave Chelsea.
Chelsea, who have also asked to be kept up to date with Wharton’s situation, are another rival for his signature.
United like Wharton, whom insiders expect to be available in the £60-70m region, but there are some concerns that his style of play is too similar to Kobbie Mainoo’s and that they would not be able to operate as a partnership.
Despite financial concerns at Crystal Palace – they will sell Jean-Philippe Mateta and Daichi Kamada will leave as a free agent – Confidential has been told the London side are not under pressure to sell Wharton as some have previously suggested.
If Plan A is Anderson, and Plan B is Tonali, Wharton finds himself closer to being Plan C.
Adam Wharton, though talented, could be described as United’s Plan C this summer. There are some concerns his style of play may not mesh perfectly with Kobbie Mainoo
Are there any other midfielders to keep an eye on?
Tyler Adams is one of the names that has cropped up a fair few times in recent days, namely because his stats score so highly among United’s data team.
We know now how much United are eager to lean on data and the team led by Michael Sansoni, and Adams is said to score particularly highly on numerous metrics.
The issue here is that Bournemouth are likely to want the bidding to start at around £40m, a fee few in the game expect United to come anywhere close to meeting.
United have maintained contact around Carlos Baleba since last summer, touching base again in January, and while Brighton have no intention of selling on the cheap, his form this season is expected to trigger a reduction in his fee.
The positive with Baleba is that personal terms are a non-issue, but key to any potential purchase is his asking price, and who United can get from their primary list as a potential midfield partner.
Joao Gomes remains among the list of names in the bracket of a more ‘budget-friendly’ addition.
So, will Manuel Ugarte leave?
This one is gathering momentum.
While United are not actively touting around the Uruguayan, Ajax, Galatasaray, Napoli and Juventus are all interested and have had him watched by scouts in recent weeks.
Ugarte’s preference is to play in a top-five European league, which hurts the cases of Ajax and Galatasaray, but their interest remains the most longstanding.
Like a lot of players, Ugarte wants clarity around his club future before heading to the World Cup with Uruguay, which means the next eight weeks are crucial.
Ugarte is understood to believe he can make a big contribution to a team and having been largely kept on the periphery under Michael Carrick, United’s midfield overhaul this summer does little to inspire belief that his minutes are set to explode next season.
Manuel Ugarte has been a back-up player for United this season and wants clarity on his future in the coming months
And what about Joshua Zirkzee?
I had an interesting conversation in the past week around the future of Zirkzee at United.
It was Man United Confidential that reported last year how Zirkzee was keen to depart in a bid to get more minutes and strengthen his hopes of making it to the World Cup.
But the word now is that Zirkzee is eager to stay at United and firmly believes he will get chances under Michael Carrick once the club return to European football.
Now, Zirkzee’s desire to stay may not be enough to see him remain beyond the end of the season but there is a difference between other names being linked with an exit this summer. My information is that Zirkzee is determined to stay and make an impact next season.
Sources close to the player are not convinced that United will bolster their attack in this coming off-season and with more games added to the schedule, Zirkzee believes Carrick will give him more opportunities to play.
He is particularly close with Patrick Dorgu and Mainoo and while there are teams in Italy who are keen – and were in January – this is not a player pushing to leave, which gives United a decision to make.
The word is that Joshua Zirkzee is eager to stay at United and firmly believes he will get chances under Michael Carrick once the club return to European football
What other departures can we expect?
We already know Casemiro is leaving at the end of the season but an interesting row around the Brazilian has surfaced in the United States.
Inter Miami have spoken to Casemiro, as have LA Galaxy, but numerous MLS teams are furious at the suggestion Miami have the capacity to bring the United midfielder in.
MLS teams are allowed three Designated Player (DP) slots and those are already allocated to Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and German Berterame.
Furious rival franchises have raised concerns with MLS and are insisting that Casemiro can only be paid $1.8million by Inter Miami to ensure his signing fits into salary cap rules, a huge wage cut that simply isn’t possible. Keep an eye on this situation.
Don’t expect Marcus Rashford to play for United again, even if Barcelona’s attempts at haggling down a permanent price fail.
Don’t expect Marcus Rashford to play for United again – even if Barcelona don’t commit to the £26million option in his loan deal
United have no desire to renegotiate the £26m option they previously agreed with Barcelona when his loan move was sanctioned.
There is also the sense that even if he does return to United following the expiration of the Barcelona loan, multiple offers with better financial returns will arrive for Rashford.
But sources have played down suggestions Rashford – who is keen to strike a deal to stay with Barcelona – will play for United again, with issues surrounding his exit extending beyond just Ruben Amorim.
Andre Onana’s salary is set for a bump if United return to the Champions League – which looks likely – and he wants an opportunity to try and reclaim the No 1 spot, while Radek Vitek has limited interest in returning from loan at Bristol City to be a back-up. The 22-year-old could bring in around £10m.
