Man City believe £100m star wants to join them instead of Man Utd | Football

Manchester City believe they have the upper hand over Manchester United in what promises to be one of the transfer sagas of the summer.

Man City have already started making plans for the summer transfer window after bolstering Pep Guardiola’s squad with the signings of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January.

Etihad Stadium bosses hoped those additions would propel City to the Premier League title but Wednesday’s draw with Nottingham Forest left Guardiola’s side seven points adrift of Arsenal.

Manchester United also have one eye on the summer transfer window after enjoying an impressive resurgence under caretaker boss Michael Carrick since Ruben Amorim’s sacking.

Both Manchester clubs have expressed interest in signing Elliot Anderson but Man City are confident they are leading the race and believe he ‘favours’ a move to the Etihad rather than Old Trafford.

Anderson, 23, has quickly established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League over the past two seasons.

His form at the City Ground might not only keep Nottingham Forest in the division but also earn him a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for this summer’s World Cup.

Anderson’s second-half goal earned Forest a crucial point at Manchester City on Wednesday night and delivered a huge blow to Guardiola’s title chances.

According to talkSPORT, Man City are preparing to step up their interest in Anderson after his impressive display at the Etihad and believe he would rather join the blue half of Manchester over United.

Nottingham Forest spent £35m to sign Anderson from Newcastle United two years ago and are believed to want almost treble that figure this summer.

Ex-Manchester United boss Amorim was keen to sign a new central midfielder last summer, with Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton linked with moves as well as Anderson.

Liverpool are also admirers of Anderson as they look to bolster Arne Slot’s squad following a dismal Premier League title defence.

Responding to speculation linking him with a big-money summer move last month, Anderson said: ‘I’m just focusing on my football at the moment and performing and trying to give everything for Nottingham Forest.

‘That’s all that’s on my mind. It’s been a big two years. I think I’ve done pretty well, to be honest, in the time I’ve been here.

‘I’ve matured on and off the pitch. It’s thanks to the club for giving me that platform to go out there and play and let me do my stuff.’

Meanwhile, former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson has named Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Wharton as two ideal targets for the Red Devils.

‘I think Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson would definitely fit the criteria for what Manchester United need in the summer,’ Robson told BoyleSports.

They’re both homegrown too and that’s important. It’s good to have a British core within the club.

‘But foreign players do brilliant at United too and there’s loads of them throughout the world that they’ll be scouting so there might be a player out there who’s young and has that ability to become a Declan Rice or Wharton or an Anderson.

‘Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson are both good players. It’s about how much they’re going to cost. You’ve got to look at that to see whether you can buy one of them because I think they would both fit this United side well.

‘That’s if their clubs allow them to leave because you’ve always got that wherever you go or the player doesn’t want to come to you, but it’s still very unusual that a player doesn’t want to come to Manchester United.’

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