Manchester United have suffered a setback in their pursuit of Elliot Anderson as Nottingham Forest remain insistent on their £100 million valuation.

Things have finally started to click for Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, and a lot of it is because of the kind of transfer business they did during the summer. Having bolstered their attack last time out, the Red Devils are now looking to add more quality to their midfield on a priority basis.

United have their eyes set on Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, and they were looking to secure his services in January on a bargain fee. But they have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit as the Tricky Trees’ stance has come to light. According to Dean Jones via TEAMtalk, Sean Dyche’s team are all set to hold out on their valuation of at least £100 million to sell him mid-season.

After coming up the ranks at Newcastle and making a name for himself while playing for their first team, Anderson made the move to Nottingham in the summer of 2024, and he hasn’t looked back since.

He has gone from strength to strength and has established himself as one of their mainstays. The 23-year-old has managed to break into the English national team, and he is widely regarded as one of the best young midfielders in the English top flight.

His performances have caught the attention of Manchester United, who seek more quality in the centre of the park. The Red Devils consider Anderson a perfect fit for Amorim’s system, as he can contribute on both ends of the pitch.

They have identified him as a priority target, as United look to prepare for life without Casemiro. The Brazilian midfielder’s contract is running out. While they do have an option to extend it by another 12 months, United don’t seem keen on that because of his massive wages.

United’s chances of signing Anderson in January

While speaking about who could replace Casemiro, Jones said: “A new deal for Casemiro is on the back burner for now, but it will be discussed. He’s doing well, but is not part of the long-term strategy, and it’s considered unlikely that he would take a big enough pay cut to actually be able to stay.

“He’s Man Utd’s top earner, and he could still earn very good money if he leaves in the summer. That’s the most likely scenario for him at the moment. Obviously, their focus is on new faces.

“I have reported across this season that Anderson jumped ahead of Baleba in the club’s transfer planning to come into the midfield in the summer, and it is true that he is being considered as the top signing.

“Any talk that Man Utd could land Anderson for £60million or anything close to that has been dismissed by my sources, and it is this £100million figure that is the price target for now.

“There is no reason Forest would let him go for cheap, especially as he’s one of England’s main players for the World Cup, and there are a few clubs that would compete for the signing – that would help raise his fee.”

Nottingham won’t budge on their demands

With him likely to leave, Anderson would be the perfect replacement. However, the Red Devils will struggle to sign him in January, as Nottingham won’t lower their demands. They were hoping to secure his services for around £60 million.

However, it seems United will most likely have to wait until the end of the season to stand a chance of signing him for a fair price, as Nottingham insist that they won’t negotiate unless there is an offer worth £100 million on the table.