Manchester United Shifts Focus to Scott and Fernandes Amid Anderson Exit
Manchester United have walked away from the Elliot Anderson saga, and the decision feels as much like a statement of intent as it does a transfer call.
For weeks, United stayed in the conversation for the Nottingham Forest midfielder, even as the numbers around him began to spiral. That spiral just became absurd. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Manchester City have had a bid totalling £121 million rejected for Anderson — a staggering figure for a player still proving himself at the very top level.
United’s response? Step back. No bidding war. No emotional reaction to a rival’s move. Just a cold, calculated pivot.
United Turn to Scott and Fernandes
Instead of being dragged into a financial arm wrestle, United have narrowed their focus to two alternatives: Alex Scott and Mateus Fernandes.
Ornstein reports that both are now priority targets. Crucially, both are understood to want the move to Old Trafford, a contrast to Anderson, who is believed to be pushing for a hefty wage package on top of his enormous fee.
From United’s perspective, the logic is obvious. Anderson at £121m is a gamble with the stakes turned up far too high. Scott and Fernandes, together, could cost a similar or even lower combined fee, while offering greater flexibility and a more sustainable wage structure.
Scott is valued at around £60m, with a realistic deal thought to be closer to £50m including add-ons. West Ham are said to want £80m for Fernandes, but their financial situation means they are likely to accept less. United see an opportunity: two high-upside midfielders, both entering their prime years, both attainable without detonating the budget on a single player.
Built for Carrick’s Midfield Blueprint
This isn’t just about price. It’s about fit.
Michael Carrick is preparing to shift United towards a midfield three, chasing a more controlled, technical structure reminiscent of PSG’s recent setups. To do that, he needs legs, intelligence, and press-resistance in the centre of the pitch. Scott and Fernandes tick those boxes.
Both are described as hard-working, technically sharp and still developing. They offer energy without sacrificing quality on the ball. They can be moulded, coached, integrated into a system rather than given the keys and told to solve everything alone.
There’s another advantage: availability.
Neither Scott nor Fernandes is involved in the World Cup, which means they can report for pre-season from day one. For a manager trying to bed in a new shape and new automatisms, that time is gold. It allows Carrick to build patterns around them, not bolt them on at the last minute.
Pre-Season Timing Could Be Crucial
The timing around the rest of the squad only sharpens the appeal of this double move.
Ederson’s late call-up to the Brazil squad has left United short of senior midfielders at the start of pre-season. At present, Mason Mount is the only established midfielder guaranteed to be there from day one. That is not a platform any manager would choose for a tactical reset.
Drop Scott and Fernandes into that environment, and the picture changes completely. Carrick would have three senior midfielders he can work with from the very start of the summer. He can test combinations, define roles, and give them weeks of repetition before the competitive games begin.
United have been accused for years of chasing names rather than building teams. Turning away from a £121m auction for Anderson and moving towards a smarter, dual signing strategy with Scott and Fernandes suggests something different: a club finally willing to say no to the noise and yes to the plan.
If they get these two over the line, the real question becomes not what United walked away from, but how far this rebuilt midfield can take them.
