Anderson’s Move to Manchester City
Manchester City have reached an agreement with Nottingham Forest for the transfer of midfielder Elliot Anderson. The deal is reported to be a club record for City, valued at £116m. Anderson, who is currently with England for the World Cup, is expected to undergo a medical examination before finalising his move to the Etihad Stadium.
While City sources indicate the fee is £116m with no additional bonuses, other reports suggest the deal could be worth up to £130m. If the higher figure is confirmed, it would establish a new British transfer record, surpassing the £125m paid by Liverpool for Alexander Isak last summer. Forest had previously rejected two offers from City for Anderson.
Personal terms are not anticipated to be an obstacle, and confidence remained that a deal would be completed once City submitted a third bid. Anderson has reportedly favoured a move to City over Manchester United, who also showed interest in the player.
Anderson’s Career Trajectory
Anderson joined Forest from Newcastle in 2024 for £35m. During his two seasons at the City Ground, he made 88 appearances and scored four goals. He played a key role in Forest finishing seventh in the Premier League in 2024-25 and reaching the Europa League semi-finals.
His performances at Forest led to his call-up to the national team. After representing Scotland at youth level, Anderson switched to England’s under-21s in August 2024 and made his senior debut in September 2025. He has since earned 11 caps and has been a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, starting the opening two World Cup matches against Croatia and Ghana.
Anderson’s influence at Forest was evident during the 2025-26 season. He recorded the most touches in the Premier League with 3,300, won possession 306 times, won 297 duels, and drew 80 fouls. His goal tally for the season doubled from two to four, though his Premier League assists decreased from six to four.
Anderson’s journey began at his boyhood club, Newcastle, where he joined at the age of eight and made his first-team debut in 2021. He made 55 appearances for Newcastle before his transfer to Forest. The sale was reportedly necessitated by Newcastle’s concerns over breaching profit and sustainability rules.
Eddie Howe, Newcastle’s manager, described Anderson’s sale as “the most reluctant in my career,” acknowledging the player’s quality. Newcastle will not receive any further financial benefit from Anderson’s transfer to City, as the initial sale to Forest was structured to address financial regulations, with Odysseas Vlachodimos moving in the opposite direction as part of that deal.
Forest’s Plans for the Future
With Anderson’s departure, Nottingham Forest are now looking to strengthen their midfield. The club is reportedly interested in signing Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall, who is keen to leave. Discussions have already taken place regarding a potential £45m move for Bergvall, although the Sweden international is expected to attract interest from other clubs.
Forest are also interested in Davide Frattesi from Inter Milan. The club is anticipated to sign two midfielders this summer to bolster their squad following Anderson’s move to Manchester City.
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Source: bbc.com
