Elliot Anderson Transfer Saga: Manchester City Faces Nottingham Forest

Manchester City have had their first move for Elliot Anderson swatted away by Nottingham Forest, but this transfer story is only just warming up.

The Premier League champions have tested Forest’s resolve with an opening offer for the 23-year-old, only to be told it is not enough. Forest, armed with a contract that runs until 2029 and a player on the brink of a World Cup with England, know exactly how strong their hand is. They are behaving like it.

City remain at the front of the queue. Arsenal and Manchester United are circling, part of a cluster of elite clubs who see Anderson as the next great English midfield anchor. United have already struck a £34m deal for Ederson from Atalanta this week, but that has not cooled their interest in Forest’s prize asset.

This is the top shelf of the market. Anderson sits in a select group of central midfielders expected to define this summer: Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. Names that come with premium price tags and long-term planning attached.

City’s admiration for Anderson runs deep. Since his move from Newcastle to Forest in 2024, his game has hardened and expanded. In a side that rarely dominates the ball, he did exactly that. No Premier League central midfielder had more touches last season – 3,300 – a remarkable figure in a team that often plays without the luxury of long spells of possession. He wins it, keeps it, and uses it with a clarity that coaches crave.

It is that profile which makes him such an appealing partner – or stand-in – for Rodri. City see a player who can share the burden of controlling games, who can play alongside the Spaniard or step into his role when needed. Not a luxury signing. A structural one.

The market has already set the benchmark. Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Declan Rice – all north of £100m. Anderson is now operating in that bracket. His value is already high, and with a World Cup looming in two weeks, it is only likely to climb if he performs as England expect.

Forest know this. With five years left on his deal, they are under no pressure to cash in quickly. They can afford to be stubborn, to wait for the biggest number and the best timing. The relationship between Forest and City is said to be excellent, but goodwill only goes so far when nine-figure sums are in play.

For City, the clock is ticking in a different way. From their perspective, the ideal scenario is clear: get the deal done before Anderson kicks a ball in the World Cup. Secure the player before the rest of Europe sees him on the biggest stage and the auction begins in earnest. Whether Forest allow that to happen is another matter.

On the player’s side, the noise of the market is being kept at arm’s length. Those close to Anderson insist he is locked in on England duty, desperate to make an impact at his first major tournament, with the opening game against Croatia on June 17. Thomas Tuchel has demanded total focus from his squad in the Miami heat, and Anderson is said to be buying into that fully.

There is also a deeply personal layer to his situation. Forest do not want to sell, and Anderson is in no rush to force the issue. His bond with owner Evangelos Marinakis has strengthened significantly in recent months, particularly since the death of his mother in April. Marinakis’ support during that period has left a mark. The two have grown close, and Anderson is determined to show respect to Forest and their owner before engaging in any serious talks about leaving.

That emotional connection complicates what might otherwise be a straightforward blockbuster sale. Forest have a star whose value is soaring, a contract that protects them, and an owner who has stood by the player in his hardest moment. Anderson, in turn, has a club he feels he owes.

For now, that points to a slower burn. All indications are that any definitive decision on his future will drift towards the latter stages of the transfer window, once his World Cup is done and the emotion and intensity of the tournament have faded.

City have made their first move. Forest have pushed it back across the table.

The next bid will say everything about how badly the champions want the midfielder who could reshape their engine room – and how high Forest believe the ceiling really is for the most coveted English midfielder on the market.