Why Man Utd will have a bargain if they can get Elliot Anderson for £100m this summer

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Whether the VAR officials got it right by not intervening after Elliot Anderson violently sent his studs into Ollie Watkins’ right ankle has been the subject of some pretty fierce debate. What is not up for debate is that had VAR stepped in and prompted a red card, Nottingham Forest would not be going to Villa Park with an advantage in their Europa League semi-final.

Anderson has been very good all season but his display against Villa - before and after what was a very fortunate reprieve - should have confirmed to any doubters that he is the real deal. And there are a few doubters.

For all the plaudits that have come his way, the bottom line is that Anderson is central to a team still in danger of being relegated to the Championship. He has to share some responsibility for the team being in that position.

But taking responsibility is just one of the many things Anderson does well. Of all the pundits now operating, few are better judges of a player than Stan Collymore.

His social media verdict on Anderson - and the implications for England’s World Cup challenge - after his performance against Villa was spot-on. Collymore posted: “10/10 starter. Rolls Royce who will be England captain and an important one at that.”

The statistics backed up the visual evidence at the City Ground. Anderson topped the charts for the most touches, the most successful passes, the most passes into the final third, the most possessions won, the most fouls won, and the most tackles won.

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Included in that last category was THAT challenge on Watkins, which referee Joao Pinheiro deemed fair. Thomas Tuchel might have a quiet word with Anderson about being over-robust but his physical approach is unlikely to concern the England manager.

Against Villa, Anderson showed why he now belongs in the bracket of automatic England choices alongside Jordan Pickford, Declan Rice, and Harry Kane. In the same game, by the way, Morgan Rogers did not solidify his claim for an England starting spot but Morgan Gibbs-White enhanced his contention for a slot in the final squad.

Anderson not only highlighted his future importance to the national team but also reinforced the belief of the Forest hierarchy that he is worth a nine-figure fee when the inevitable interest from powerhouse clubs materialises this summer. The word out of Old Trafford is that its recruitment and finance departments would balk at a fee in excess of £100 million.

But in the same way that Declan Rice was worth every penny of his £105million fee when he went to Arsenal almost three years ago, £100million for Anderson would be money well spent.

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In all matches this season, Anderson has won possession 10+ times in a match on 12 occasions. That is five more than the next Premier League player on that list, Dominik Szoboszlai.

When Rice moved to Arsenal, he was 23. Anderson is 23. His mental fortitude is beyond question. Anderson is still grieving the recent tragic loss of his wonderful mum, Helen.

The young man might want to continue his development at Forest, especially if they stay in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League. But the demand for his services is bound to be hard to resist, both for him and his club.

And he would be a perfect fit for a United team looking to re-establish itself as a formidable domestic and European force. They just need to pay what it takes.

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