INEOS make “world-class” star Man Utd’s “No.1 target”

With the typically ever-present Bruno Fernandes forced to take on a rare watching brief for Manchester United‘s clash with Newcastle United, all eyes were on who would be the man to step up in the Portuguese’s absence.

For much of the first half, it was fellow playmaker Mason Mount who looked like taking on that mantle, with the resurgent Englishman at the centre of everything for the Red Devils, both in and out of possession.

The 26-year-old’s growing importance was none more so evident than when he was ultimately absent after the break, with the hosts simply retreating in that backs-to-the-wall second-half performance.

Frustratingly, it would appear that the ex-Chelsea man’s fitness woes have reared their ugly head again, with Mount simply unable to prove himself as a reliable presence in Ruben Amorim‘s side, having lasted the 90 minutes on just two occasions all season.

As was evident with his strike away at Molineux, there is a quality player in there. Unfortunately, with his talents repeatedly overshadowed by injury, Amorim and co are in need of an upgrade.

Man Utd make Premier League midfielder their No.1 target

While Mount – signed for £55m back in the summer of 2023 – has typically been deployed in a left-sided number ten berth in Amorim’s 3-4-3 set-up, the recent tactical reshuffle has seen United’s number seven slot into something of a deeper role, orchestrating proceedings in almost Fernandes fashion.

It was the midfielder’s stunning switch which picked out Patrick Dorgu at Villa Park, in the build-up to Matheus Cunha’s agonising missed header, with there having been promising signs from the Champions League winner in recent weeks.

As already stated, however, Mount is frustratingly unable to remain fit and firing, with the need to continually manage his game time ensuring he has started just 29 of his 63 games for the club in all competitions.

With that in mind, and with the recent change to a back four seemingly set to continue, Mount could be a potential casualty, not least if INEOS are able to land Nottingham Forest sensation, Elliot Anderson.

According to the Daily Mail’s Nathan Salt, the 23-year-old is now the Old Trafford side’s “No.1 target“, with the England international wanted as the centrepiece of United’s midfield overhaul in 2026.

As per the report, the ex-Newcastle man is likely to be more of a summer target for Amorim’s side, with the likes of James Garner being considered as more short-term alternatives for the New Year.

As previously indicated, any deal for Anderson – be it next month or next summer – is likely to cost upwards of £100m.

Why Anderson could be the perfect Mount upgrade

It hasn’t been seen enough, yet Mount’s quality is hard to question, with Amorim having singled him out as a “proper footballer” following his appointment back in November 2024.

When fit and firing, the injury-prone talent can be so influential to the current United iteration, notably ranking in the top 11% of attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as per FBref, as well as ranking in the top 8% for tackles made per 90.

He is an asset then at both sides of the game, although that is certainly also true of Anderson, with the Forest playmaker a master at breaking up play, albeit while having that progressive quality to match in possession.

Now the leading candidate to partner Declan Rice at next year’s World Cup, the youngster’s all-round quality was on full display in the Three Lions’ autumn internationals,

Indeed, he averaged 8.6 ball recoveries per game in World Cup qualifying, while also boasting a stellar 93% pass accuracy, as per Sofascore.

Such standout form has also been replicated even amid a turbulent Premier League campaign at the City Ground, averaging 8.4 ball recoveries, while also recording 1.6 key passes per game from his 17 starts.

For comparison, Mount averages just 2.7 recoveries per game, even while leading the press under Amorim, having also averaged just 0.8 key passes from his 15 outings, only ten of which have come from the start.

It may not seem as if Anderson would be a direct competitor to his compatriot, although it’s fair to say he isn’t just a safe and steady number six, with talkSPORT’s Max Scott even going as far as to suggest that he is like “Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane all rolled into one”.

Also lauded as a “world-class” talent by commentator Jamie Martin, the in-demand Geordie has the tools to operate in a more advanced, box-to-box role if required, memorably registering 13 goals and assists in just 21 games on loan at Bristol Rovers a few years ago.

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Unlike Mount, who hasn’t featured for his country since the 2022 World Cup, Anderson is now a central figure in the Thomas Tuchel regime, showcasing which of the pair really is the man on the rise right now.

Mount might be Amorim’s man, yet with Friday evening having been the latest in a long line of frustrating setbacks in his stop-start United career, the time might have come for the Portuguese to hang his hat on another classy midfield operator like Anderson.

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