Man United's top targets Anderson and Diomande set to join City and Liverpool instead

Manchester United will miss out on two of their primary summer targets after Manchester City agreed a £121million deal for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson and Liverpool moved to the front of the queue for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, with both players set to join United’s fiercest rivals.

United had made Anderson their top midfield priority and had also scouted Diomande as a wide option following their failed January move for Antoine Semenyo. In the end, the finances made both deals impossible. City’s bid for Anderson — worth £121m in total — was far beyond what United were prepared to commit to a single player in a window where they need as many as three midfielders, and Diomande’s asking price has risen to close to £100m after a strong second half of the season.

Anderson, 23, also made clear his preference for the Etihad, removing any lingering hope United had of matching City’s offer. The England international has underlined his quality at the ongoing World Cup, starring in a 4-2 win over Croatia.

Diomande, 19, is now widely expected to arrive at Anfield as a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah. The Ivory Coast winger has caught the eye at the World Cup too, providing an assist against Germany after a dominant display against Ecuador in the group stage.

United’s decision to step back from both pursuits is being framed internally as pragmatic rather than a failure of ambition. Committing close to £100m to a wide player would have forced compromises in midfield, which remains the most urgent area of reconstruction under Ruben Amorim. The club’s left-wing situation has also evolved since January, with Patrick Dorgu establishing himself as a viable option in that role and Matheus Cunha having spent time on the flank.

Instead, United are understood to be monitoring Iliman Ndiaye and Crysencio Summerville as more affordable wide options, with both available at roughly half the cost of Diomande. A left-back signing also remains on the agenda.

The uncomfortable truth for United supporters is that the club correctly identified two players who are thriving at the highest level, only to watch them move to Old Trafford’s two most direct rivals. Whether the financial discipline that forced those decisions ultimately pays off will depend on what United do with the budget they have preserved.