Manchester United legend Gary Neville has suggested Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Ezri Konsa as potential transfer targets for the summer to aid a potential bid for the Premier League title.
Neville, speaking on a Sky Sports fan Q&A, was asked to name three realistic targets for the upcoming summer transfer window.
The eight-time Premier League winner highlighted central midfield as an area that Man United will need to strengthen, as well as adding another defender.
‘If you said to me a top centre-half and two good midfield players, that’s what this squad needs right now,’ Neville said.
‘To be fair, it does need other things after that, but I would say, to me, they dealt with the wide areas.
‘They’ve got Amad [Diallo], [Bryan] Mbeumo, [Matheus] Cunha, [Mason] Mount who can play there a little bit, so I’m actually okay with that.
Gary Neville has suggested Man United target Elliot Anderson in the summer transfer window
Neville named Anderson as one of three ‘realistic’ possible signings for the summer
Sandro Tonali and Ezri Konsa were also suggested as possible targets by Neville
‘I think No.10s with Mount and Bruno Fernandes, Bruno plays there every week, he’s reliable, so I’d say there’s no problem there.
‘It’s two central midfield players and definitely a centre-half, we need a top centre-half.
‘Dream world, it would be Marquinhos, [Declan] Rice and [Harry] Kane. Realistic, I’m going Tonali, Anderson and I’m going Konsa.’
Daily Mail Sport has reported that Forest star Anderson is Man United’s top target for the summer, as the club look to raise the quality of the midfield. However, Man City are understood to be ahead in the race right now.
Tonali is also on Man United’s shortlist, but the expectation is the Newcastle midfielder would prove an expensive deal.
Konsa has proved a vital part of Aston Villa’s rise since joining the club from Brentford back in 2019, with the 28-year-old having made 229 appearances to date.
The England international will be hoping to help Aston Villa seal Champions League qualification and win the Europa League in the coming weeks, before being part of the Three Lions’ squad in the summer.
Man United’s summer transfer business has aided their improvement this season, with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens all contributing with Michael Carrick’s side closing on Champions League qualification.
Man United are closing in on securing a place in next season’s Champions League
Neville believes with the right additions and potential uncertainty for Man City and Arsenal in the coming months, Man United could launch a title bid next season.
‘Liverpool aren’t ahead of them at the moment in the pecking order, neither are Chelsea, neither are Aston Villa,’ Neville said.
‘But Manchester United haven’t had to cope with Champions League football or cup competitions this season, so there’s a massive advantage there.
‘However, I think it will come down to how does this Arsenal team deal with winning or losing the league? We don’t know what’s going to happen there.
‘That could be a case of if they have won it, can they win it back-to-back? Difficult, if they haven’t won it, how are they going to recover and what’s going to happen there?
‘The big question is here [at Manchester City]. Two things… Pep Guardiola and the 115 charges. What’s going to happen with those charges? Are they going to get a big points deduction if found guilty of some of the more serious offences? So they are two big questions.
‘If Manchester City were to get a big points deduction or Pep Guardiola leaves, and you’ve got Arsenal reeling from not winning it, I would say you are in with a right chance.
‘United would have an outside chance but things would need to go their way.’
Man United are currently third in the Premier League – 12 points adrift of leaders Arsenal – with four matches remaining.
Carrick’s side need just two points to confirm a return to the Champions League next season following a year with no European football.
