Man Utd can fund £120m Elliot Anderson transfer with five sales

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is a top target for Manchester United, who are keen to sign the England international in a record-breaking transfer

Manchester United have set their sights on Nottingham Forest midfielder, Elliot Anderson. The 23-year-old has emerged as a prime target for Ruben Amorim's side, who are keen to bolster their central midfield.

Anderson joined Forest from Newcastle United last summer in a hefty £35million deal. In his debut season at the City Ground, he made a whopping 42 appearances across all competitions, playing a pivotal role in Forest's seventh-place finish in the Premier League and their journey to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Despite Forest's lacklustre start to the 2025/26 season, Anderson's performance has been consistently stellar. After an exceptional first season with Forest, he earned his maiden call-up to the England senior squad in August. He has since shone in a Three Lions shirt, starting four matches against Andorra, Serbia, Wales and Latvia.

On Sunday, Anderson netted his first goal of the season, converting a penalty to score Forest's third goal in a crucial 3-1 victory over Leeds United. United 'remain keen' on signing Anderson and have expressed serious interest, as revealed by Mirror Football's John Cross last month.

Forest have been notified about United's intention to pursue the Whitley Bay-born star, but the Reds are expected to demand a staggering fee of at least £100m, if not closer to £120m. If United manage to secure Anderson for that price, or even higher, it would smash the club's transfer record, currently held by Paul Pogba's £89m switch from Juventus to United in 2016.

Such a colossal move would be a game-changer for Ruben Amorim and United, but the club might need to generate funds through player sales before they can splash out nine figures on Anderson.

So, how could they raise the necessary cash? A good starting point would be to review the players currently out on loan and assess if any of them could fetch a hefty fee. At present, Marcus Rashford seems the most likely candidate for a sale next summer.

The 28-year-old moved to Barcelona on a season-long loan in July and has been in fine form for the La Liga side, netting six goals and setting up nine more in 16 appearances across all competitions. Barcelona, who are footing Rashford's £8m salary for the season, have an option to buy him for £26m at the end of his loan spell.

If Barca's finances allow, this deal appears highly probable at this stage, providing United with a tidy profit. Another potential sale is Rasmus Hojlund.

The Danish striker has found the back of the net four times in 10 games since joining Napoli on loan in August, and Antonio Conte's team have the option to make his move permanent for £38m next summer. If United can secure that amount for the ex-Atalanta player, it would provide a welcome boost to their Anderson war chest.

Jadon Sancho, the third high-profile United player currently on loan, was loaned to Aston Villa in the summer. Although Villa don't have an option to buy the 25-year-old, his long-term future at Old Trafford seems uncertain. With a valuation of £20m, selling him could be the best solution.

Andre Onana, is spending the season away from Manchester after a late move to Turkish side Trabzonspor. Despite United paying £47.5m for the 29-year-old Cameroon international from Inter Milan in 2023, he's now valued at £26m, with United likely to get around £15m for him.

Selling Rashford, Hojlund, Sancho and Onana could bring in at least £85m, if not more, meaning United would only need a small amount more to afford Anderson. However, United could sell a prized asset not just to afford Anderson but also to gain funds to strengthen other areas of the team.

Cashing in on Kobbie Mainoo could enable the Red Devils to achieve that. The 20-year-old has been limited to just 138 minutes of Premier League football this season, raising concerns about his future at United, with Chelsea among others showing interest.

Mainoo is valued at around £45m, and while that might seem low for his age and potential, United might need to sell him just to make room for Anderson in the squad.