All the reports on United’s summer window targets suggest that midfield is the biggest area of concern and that Elliot Anderson is the biggest priority. Of course, there are two obstacles here: Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.
Nottingham Forest will certainly play hardball, as is their right, and City have made it known that Anderson is their top target as well. Anderson is highly rated for a reason: he is a central midfielder, as it was once understood. He can pass the ball and is looking to pass it forward;
he can cover ground and recover it from the opposition; he can receive the ball under pressure; and he can chip in with goals and assists.
There is little confusion with him, as he does most of the tasks expected of a central midfielder at the highest level. His performances for England and against United and Liverpool in the league this season suggest that he has that unique quality that the top midfielders have: to dictate the pace of the game. It’s also a faster pace, which is one that most English football fans are partial to.
However, if this alone was the aim, United might’ve looked at other players who could accomplish something similar, albeit in different ways. In the past, I’ve suggested testing the waters for the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Vitinha because they have this unique ability to dictate the pace, whatever that pace may be, and really take the game to the opposition.
Paul Scholes and Roy Keane had different qualities, but both ran games from midfield; this had less to do with their many technical abilities and more to do with understanding what a game demands at different periods of the game and possessing the ability to execute the same. They were perhaps two of the greatest exponents of this in the Premier League era, so this isn’t to compare players, but to zero in on what it is that sets apart the good central midfielders from the great ones. The likes of Rodri and Bernardo Silva have done the same for Manchester City for much of this decade.
This brings us to Sandro Tonali, the other major target. He won’t come cheap either and will arguably cost more than Anderson. The Italian, arguably, possesses the most powerful engine in the league and has the physicality to go with it. Although he hasn’t chipped in with many goals this season, he showed that he has the capacity for the same last season. He also enjoys a diagonal, but isn’t the most voluminous passer. He doesn’t quite fit the bill in the same way despite his many attributes.
If United acquire both, they’ll have sizably improved with respect to pace and power. Both have desired qualities and have many years ahead of them; this is undeniable. Yet, it’s worth noting that the direction seems to have more to do with age and Premier League experience besides quality alone. This sometimes narrows the scope, not to mention that many lesser players might also fit this criterion.
We can’t know for sure if both will make their way to Old Trafford this season, but missing out on Anderson might force United to look for midfielders that possess all the qualities usually desired in the aggregate. Someone like Adam Wharton might offer the qualities that Tonali lacks, but neither in isolation appears to be a great fit with Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes. This wouldn’t be a great look, considering the amount it might cost to acquire their services.
When Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Liam Delap and Antoine Semenyo were considered the main targets last summer, they were welcomed by most fans. They had solid seasons behind them and didn’t carry the superstar tag that can sometimes cause tension in a side that’s trying to find its feet, but different situations demand different needs. This window will reveal the limits or the range of United’s imagination.
