Manchester United are reportedly confident they can pip Manchester City to the signing of Anderson, according to the latest round of transfer rumours doing the rounds in Tuesday's papers. Now, any story involving United beating City to a player is the kind of thing that makes a red half of Manchester sit up and pay attention, so let's have a look at what this could actually mean.
First things first, the detail here is still pretty thin, as transfer rumours at this stage of the game often are. We don't know the fee being discussed, the length of contract on the table, or exactly what role Anderson would be expected to play in either setup. What we do know is that both clubs are apparently in the mix, which tells you straight away that this is a player worth paying attention to. When two clubs of that size are sniffing around, there's usually something real underneath the smoke.
From a United perspective, the fact the club feels confident is genuinely encouraging. Too often in recent years United have been the ones watching rivals swoop in at the last minute while they were still debating the paperwork. If the people running the recruitment side of things have actually got their act together and moved early enough to feel good about where they stand, that in itself is progress worth acknowledging.
City, of course, are never easy to beat in the transfer market. They have the financial clout, the Champions League pedigree, and a manager who can sell a vision to any player in world football. United would need to offer something compelling in terms of project, playing time, or just the sheer size of the club's global appeal to tip the balance their way.
It is still early days and transfer rumours have a habit of going absolutely nowhere, so tempered expectations are probably the wise approach. But if United can land a player City also wanted? That would feel very nice indeed.
Let me know your thoughts.