Man United in pole position to sign Elliot Anderson - Insider

Manchester United are in pole position to lure Elliot Anderson away from Manchester City if they are kicked out of the Premier League.

Man City have been found guilty of all of their 115 charges for breaching financial rules, leading to suggestions they may face a hefty points deduction or even expulsion.

That has led to speculation about the long-term future of some of their star players, and the 23-year-old is among a number of big names who could look to move on.

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Anderson is still highly regarded at Old Trafford and they could take advantage of City's situation.

The England international joined Man City for a record-breaking £116million during the summer, as they beat rivals including both Man United and Liverpool to his signature.

However, amid fears of a mass exodus from the Etihad if their appeal is not successful, Man United could finally make a move to bring Anderson to Old Trafford.

Could Man United make a move for Elliot Anderson?

Football Insider revealed on 3 October that a number of Man City's star players could look to leave if they are relegated from the Premier League in the near future.

Anderson is expected to be no different, despite having only recently joined the Sky Blues, and is unlikely to want to play in the Championship in the near future.

As a result, Man United have been tipped to reignite their interest, and there is a "real possibility" they could do so if their rivals are hit by major sanctions.

"I've seen it mentioned that Man United could go after Elliot Anderson if Man City are relegated," Brown told Football Insider.

"There's a big 'if' in there, because there is a lot of water to pass under the bridge until anything like that can be spoken about, but we can speculate about the possibility for now.

"Man United are big fans of Anderson, he was their ideal target to strenghten their midfield in the summer, but the deal wasn't possible because of the money.

"He ended up going to Man City for a record fee, but if they're kicked out of the Premier League and he becomes available, there is a real chance Man United could take advantage.

"Obviously we won't know the ins and outs of it until they receive their punishment, but Man United could finally bring Anderson in and I'm sure it's something they will look at."

Could Anderson look to leave Man City?

Man City are now at risk of losing a number of their star players in the near future, with a growing expectation that relegation would force them to consider offers.

Players are also expected to seek moves away, and discussions to that end are believed to have begun already, despite Man City's decision to appeal the Premier Leauge's verdict.

Brown told Football Insider on 5 October that Man City players' agents have already held talks with top European clubs as they plot their next moves.

This comes after Thomas Tuchel revealed the issues have been a topic of conversation among the City players on England duty, with concerns now starting to grow.

As a result, agents are already working hard behind the scenes, with the likes of Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Anderson already being tipped for moves away.