Manchester United’s central midfield department has been one that has come into huge question over the last couple of months, with Ruben Amorim needing improvements in such an area.
The 40-year-old has often had to rotate the options to the heart of the side, with Bruno Fernandes often the man to start as a number eight on a regular basis.
The Portuguese international has mainly been joined by Casemiro in the two midfield roles in 2025/26, which has allowed the latter to make a name for himself in the Premier League.
However, at 33, the Brazilian is now entering the latter stages of his professional career, with the player set to leave at the end of the season upon the expiration of his contract.
As a result, the hierarchy will desperately need to target added reinforcements in the midfield department, especially with the January transfer window now approaching.
Man Utd looking to sign mega-money midfielder
Over the last couple of days, United have been named as one of the sides interested in a deal to sign RB Leipzig star Assan Ouedraogo in the January window.
The German star has endured a phenomenal start to the 2025/26 campaign, featuring in 11 Bundesliga outings and already posting a total of six goal contributions in the process.
However, it’s been reported that Ole Werner’s side are extremely reluctant to offload the 19-year-old, who is seen as a player with huge potential to explode into an elite-level talent.
He’s not the only player currently in the Red Devils’ sights at present, with Nottingham Forest sensation Elliot Anderson still firmly in their sights ahead of the winter window.
According to journalist Andy Mitten, Amorim’s men “would love” to sign the 23-year-old midfielder who has been a shining light at the heart of the Reds side in 2025/26.
It’s also been reported that such a deal could rise to around the £100m mark, which would be a club record for United, passing the figure forked out for one player in 2016.
Why Anderson could be Man Utd's new Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba joined United in a staggering £89m deal back in the summer of 2016, with such a deal becoming the most expensive in the club’s long-standing history.
The Frenchman arrived for his second spell at Old Trafford, amassing over 225 appearances and often catching the eye with various impressive moments over his six-year period.
From long-range strikes to vital efforts in Manchester derbies, he truly did capture the hearts of the supporters – that’s despite concerns over his fitness and attitude at certain times.
However, there’s little denying he’s one of the most technically gifted players to operate in the deep-lying midfield roles, as seen by his tally of 86 goals and assists for the Red Devils.
Despite Bruno operating in such a role, there’s little denying the first team have lacked a technical player of Pogba’s quality, but that could be about to change with a move for Anderson.
Like Pogba, he would be a massively expensive addition, but his underlying stats from the 2025/26 campaign showcase his incredible technical ability with and without the ball.
The Englishman, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has completed 8.3 progressive passes per 90, with 8.2 of his efforts being made into the final third.
Games played
12
Goals & assists
2
Pass accuracy
83%
Progressive passes
8.3
Passes into final third
8.2
Take-ons completed
1.3
Ball recoveries
8.5
Tackles made
2.8
Duels won
7.2
Such numbers showcase his incredible ball-playing ability, with such talents allowing him to pick out numerous of the club’s £200m additions in attacking areas.
He’s also completed 1.5 key passes per 90 to date, with 1.3 of his passes being into the opposition’s 18-yard box, further highlighting his world-class talents in possession.
However, without the ball, Anderson has been just as impressive, as seen by his tally of 2.8 tackles made and 7.2 duels won per 90 in the Premier League this campaign.
The aforementioned figures showcase why he would be the perfect box-to-box option for Amorim’s side, which could get the best out of Bruno once again in the near future.
£100m for a player in the modern market is slowly becoming an acceptable choice, as seen by the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, who have all spent such a figure on players in years gone by.
However, if United are to do it, Anderson would be the perfect player to spend such an amount on, with the midfielder having the immediate quality to impress, whilst potentially improving tenfold in the years ahead.
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