Man United target Elliot Anderson or Adam Wharton to unlock January loan for Kobbie Mainoo

Manchester United are accelerating plans to add a midfielder in January, with Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton high on the list. A successful deal is expected to green-light a short-term loan for Kobbie Mainoo, whose summer exit was blocked when talks for Carlos Baleba and Conor Gallagher collapsed. Under Ruben Amorim, United want a high-energy No.8 who can press, carry and pass vertical. Anderson brings direct running and duel intensity, while Wharton offers control and tempo in buildup. From a player’s eye, this is clean squad engineering - bring the right profile, protect balance, and let Mainoo start weekly to sharpen his edge.

Multiple UK reports indicate Manchester United will revisit midfield targets in January after abandoning summer pursuits of Carlos Baleba and Conor Gallagher. Internal planning points toward an athletic, press-friendly No.8, with Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton among the shortlist. The expectation inside the recruitment team is that securing one midfielder will clear the pathway for Kobbie Mainoo to go out on a development-focused loan, having had a proposed move blocked in the last window. The timeline centers on early January to avoid late-window inflation and to give the squad clarity before a congested fixture run.

🚨 JUST IN: Mainoo's hopes of leaving could depend on United signing a midfielder in January, after having blocked his departure in the summer when the agreements for Carlos Baleba and Conor Gallagher did not materialize. United is among the admirers of Elliot Anderson and Adam

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

I like the logic here. Amorim’s principles hinge on aggression without the ball and clarity with it. In a two-man base or staggered three, he needs one midfielder who can hunt, carry 15-20 meters, and still find the free man. Anderson ticks the thrust and duel box, a winger-mid hybrid who can receive on the half-turn and push United up the pitch. Wharton, by contrast, is the stabilizer - clean first touch, tempo-setter, and a natural connector between center-backs and the eight-ten line.

Signing one of them recalibrates roles. It reduces the load on the current pivot, protects the back line in rest-defense, and cuts the number of transitions that have been killing United late in halves. It also unlocks a sensible developmental track for Mainoo. Young midfielders need minutes that matter - not 12 here, 18 there. A loan where he starts every week, takes responsibility, and makes mistakes he can correct on the grass by Wednesday is priceless. I have lived that rhythm; you come back bigger, calmer, and faster in your decisions.

Financially, this is tidy. A mid-tier fee plus add-ons on a rising-age profile preserves headroom for summer needs, while a loan for Mainoo maintains homegrown status and long-term asset value. It is hard to call any January plan perfect, but this is smart squad architecture built for Amorim’s game model.

Reaction

Online sentiment split fast - and loud. Some supporters are furious at the idea of Mainoo leaving at all, while others see the logic if a first-team ready midfielder arrives.

“A club that sells its talents... after McTominay and Garnacho now came the turn of Mainoo.” - ⭐️عبدالعزيز⭐️

“Why would Elliot Anderson and Wharton pick United to play under Amorim?!” - Fred ✝️

“My god this is absurd... one of our best Academy products sits on the bench... clown club.” - LDH-23

“There is no news here.” - Serge

“Scholes: the kid is being ruined... probably best for him now.” - Frank 🧠🇵🇹

The official club channels kept a respectful tone remembering Kath Phipps, which only heightened the contrast with the transfer noise. I get the frustration, but there is a coherent pathway: add a starter-level eight, loan Mainoo to play every week, and return him sharper. One fan note backing the player - “The real fans are behind you.” - shows there is still patience for a long-game approach if the club lands the right profile.

Social reactions

Bring in another manager right now and you will never see any of these players coming to Manchester United as they had their own preference.

Moon (@Qamarul_Mohd)

Just link up 3000 players I don’t care anymore

Arhin Godfred (@ArhinGodfred_9)

My god this is absurd. You've got one of our best Academy products sitting on the bench who has already shown he's got what it takes, and they're talking about signing another midfielder and getting rid of him. Clown club.

LDH-23 (@ldh2386)

Prediction

I expect United to move early in the window and close one of the two profiles within the first 10 days of January. If the fee is manageable, Wharton feels the cleaner fit for Amorim’s control-first structure in bigger matches. He knits phases, keeps distances short, and reads pressure well - the kind of player who lowers chaos. If valuations spike, Anderson is the competitive alternative who raises field position through carries and second-ball wins, especially useful in scrappy away fixtures.

Structure-wise, think initial bid plus add-ons tied to starts and team performance, protecting downside while rewarding development. Once a signature is secured, Mainoo’s loan should activate quickly, ideally to a possession-leaning Premier League side in the bottom half or a top Championship team that gives him guaranteed starts in his best role. Contingency plan if talks stall: re-open a loan with buy option for Baleba late in the window or monitor an opportunistic move for Gallagher if his situation shifts. Either way, the sequence feels set - sign the midfielder, then green-light Mainoo’s minutes plan.

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Conclusion

This is what smart January work looks like. United need another engine in midfield who can keep the team compact, compress space, and still progress the ball under pressure. Anderson gives you field tilt and edge. Wharton gives you calm and patterns. Either choice supports Amorim’s identity and makes the whole unit less streaky.

For Mainoo, a loan is not a step back - it is the shortcut to leadership. I have seen young midfielders jump a full level after 20 straight starts in a system that trusts them. He comes back with timing in his press, stronger in contact, and braver breaking lines. Done right, this winter does two jobs at once: it upgrades the first team and supercharges a cornerstone talent. That is how you turn a noisy narrative into a cleaner football solution. Now it is on recruitment to land the right profile early and keep the plan moving.