Why Man Utd want to sign one of Anderson’s “best mates”.

‘Winning the window’ doesn’t always equate to success on the pitch, although there may be those in Manchester United’s favor who are beginning to feel uneasy about the lack of progress being made in recruitment.

July is here, and United’s squad has been weakened rather than strengthened, with Casemiro leaving at the end of his contract, and Manuel Ugarte set to be sidelined for a long time.

There are no secrets when it comes to transfers these days, with INEOS probably left red-faced after seeing both Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes agree to move away.

Perhaps this is just part of the plan, with new signings set to arrive later down the line. That said, with the season just around the corner and the new campaign just over a month away, that sense of desperation and dread is starting to set in.

Man Utd are starting the process of signing another Mateus Fernandes

Therefore, despite the presence of United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, it is Tottenham Hotspur who won the race for the aforementioned Fernandes, the 21-year-old will join the Lilywhites in a club record deal of £85m.

The Portuguese international had been a top target for INEOS after failing to land Anderson, however the club will now have to look at other options during this ongoing midfield hunt.

One name to mention is German Felix Nmecha, and the Borussia Dortmund man is well known to Jason Wilcox due to the Englishman’s previous work at Manchester City.

The priority still seems to be Premier League-proven additions, however, with reporter Ben Jacobs revealing that attention has now shifted to Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.

United are believed to be already looking at a deal for the 22-year-old, following Fernandes’ decision to join Spurs.

The Cherries are hoping to tie the Guernsey-born player to a new deal, but are also open to including a release clause, having valued the youngster at around £80m.

United will also face the presence of rivals, namely Arsenal, as well as Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs, with the Premier League elite set to sign one of Anderson’s “best partners”, as noted by journalist Nathan Salt.

Why Scott’s signing would be good for Bruno Fernandes

If there will be one good thing, it is that, unlike last year, there has not been any murmur about the future of the captain, who is expected to add Bruno Fernandes to Old Trafford.

Now on World Cup duty with Portugal, the 31-year-old has just completed his impressive season in Manchester, having broken the Premier League record for most assists in a single campaign.

Even after six-and-a-half years at the club, Fernandes is still the team’s best player, the man Michael Carrick will once again build his side for next season.

What Carrick and his teammates need is to ensure there is quality around him, with Kobbie Mainoo and the aforementioned Scott, attacking midfielders who could link up well with the former Sporting CP star.

Speaking about 2021, Fernandes joked how he almost wished United had a player of Carrick’s caliber in the squad, highlighting that the Englishman’s passing was a class above when he joined training sessions while serving as first-team coach.

The captain has never been able to operate in front of a stable, active midfield, with McFred’s oft-maligned partnership not quite giving that real sense of security and calmness, as Fernandes said above.

That may be where Scott makes the difference, the former England U21 is a calm, graceful midfielder who can control what happens in the middle of the park, almost like Paul Scholes in the way he dictates the tempo deep.

Against United at the Vitality Stadium earlier this year, Scott was masterful in that 2-2 draw, recording more accurate passes than any other player on the pitch, while also ranking second in key passes.

At 22, the former Bristol City man isn’t done yet, but there’s a lot to like about his game, not least his willingness to get forward and help his teammates in front of him.

Indeed, among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues last season, Scott ranked in the top 15% of 90 forward carriers, as well as the top 7% in deep carries, suggesting he could be the link man for Fernandes when he bombards forward.

Another thing to like is what he offers defensively as well, not afraid to put his foot down like Fernandes and co. For example, the Bournemouth starlet is ranked in the top 10% of box office releases and the top 15% of returns, highlighting what he brings to the table outside of management.

More often than not, Fernandes was part of United’s midfield that was left exposed and open, rarely gaining any sense of control.

Bringing Scott into the midfield could change the situation, with the failure to sign Spurs’ £85m new man likely to prove a blessing in disguise at Old Trafford.