The story today is one of retreat. Manchester United have been linked with Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson, the 23-year-old England midfielder under contract until 2029, but the latest credible signals say United are pulling out. Forest's high asking price — discussed anywhere between £67.2m and £94.8m — and the looming presence of Manchester City have cooled United's appetite. Anderson's move away from Forest remains a live possibility, but the United angle specifically has collapsed. The sourcing here is consistent and reasonably strong. ESPN FC, a benchmark voice, report United ending their interest, corroborated by Graeme Bailey and Alex Crook within a tight 24-hour window. All three agree on the direction of travel: United backing away from a bidding war they consider overpriced. That is three reliable voices telling the same story, which makes the cooling hard to dismiss. The engine's 12% is a longshot, and it reflects exactly that picture. For this move to complete, United would need to reverse course, meet a price they have already deemed too high, and out-muscle a rival currently far better placed. Nothing in the recent reporting suggests that is coming. The number is low because the buyer's own interest is reportedly over, not because the player is unavailable. For context on the money, Anderson himself moved from Newcastle to Nottingham Forest for £35m in 2024 — a useful marker for how steeply Forest have since revalued him. What to watch next: any sign United re-enter the conversation, or — more likely on current evidence — Manchester City firming up their pursuit, which would close the door on a United deal entirely.