Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has urged his former club to snub Newcastle United pair Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali for an alternative.
The Red Devils have significantly improved under interim boss Michael Carrick and they look set to qualify for the Champions League, but they will be active in the transfer market this summer.
This is largely because they need to overhaul their midfield and fill the void left by Casemiro once he leaves upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.
Man Urd will likely sign at least two midfielders this summer and are linked with a lot of potential targets.
This includes Newcastle duo Guimaraes and Tonali, but Ferdinand does not think Man Utd need a midfielder of their type.
Instead, Ferdinand has encouraged Man Utd to sign Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson as he “ticks” a lot of “boxes”.
“Beginning of the season everyone was talking about [Carlos] Baleba, he seems to have gone off the boil a little bit form wise,” Ferdinand said.
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“Elliot Anderson, he seems to have jumped to the front of the queue. I think he’s a wonderful player.
“I think Elliot Anderson is the right type not only of player but character, I think he’d be a good addition to the squad.
“Tonali is a big talent that everyone is talking about, Guimaraes is another big talent that everyone is talking about, but I just think the type of midfielder United need is somebody who is a bit more all-action, who can cover ground, who is dynamic, who is robust, strong, who can drive a team.
“Right now Anderson seems to be ticking those boxes. But I think there are a few other young guns out there who I won’t mention their names yet because I don’t want anyone else to get on that scent.”
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In an update on Man Utd’s midfield search on Friday, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano insisted the club has not yet decided on who to sign.
“At the moment, it is still an internal discussion, with players appreciated but no final decision made to move forward on a specific target,” Romano said.
“It will depend on the budget, potential Champions League qualification, and also the manager. Whether it is Michael Carrick or another coach, that decision will influence the type of midfielder the club pursues.
“For example, Ruben Amorim was a big admirer of Carlos Baleba at Brighton and pushed strongly for him.
“Now the situation could be different, so we will continue to follow developments, but one thing is certain – Man Utd will be busy in the midfield market.”
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