United drop Anderson pursuit as City bid £120m, shifting focus to Fernandes and Baleba

Manchester United have effectively ended their pursuit of Elliot Anderson after Manchester City submitted a bid worth more than £120 million for the Nottingham Forest midfielder, a fee United are unwilling to match.

The 23-year-old Anderson is understood to favour a move to the Etihad Stadium, and United have no appetite for a bidding war with their city rivals. With City and Forest expected to reach an agreement, Old Trafford’s attention has shifted firmly toward other midfield targets.

The leading candidate is now Mateus Fernandes, the 21-year-old Portuguese midfielder set to depart West Ham following the club’s relegation from the Premier League. West Ham have placed a valuation of more than £80 million on Fernandes, a figure United regard as too high in its current form — meaning any deal will require the Hammers to lower their asking price before negotiations can progress meaningfully.

United also retain a long-standing interest in Carlos Baleba of Brighton, having attempted to sign the midfielder last summer. Brighton’s demands exceeded £100 million at that stage and, as with Fernandes, a reduction will be necessary for United to make a serious move.

Alex Scott is another name on the club’s radar. The young, Premier League-experienced midfielder has been part of the England squad’s training camp in the United States, though he did not make the final 26-man World Cup squad.

The prospects of landing Aurélien Tchouaméni from Real Madrid have also dimmed. Reports indicate that José Mourinho is keen to retain the France international, making a departure from the Bernabéu increasingly unlikely this summer.

The common thread running through United’s revised approach is a preference for players who actively want to join the club — a stance that led directly to their withdrawal from the Anderson race once his preference for City became clear.