Updated: 25 Apr 2026 17:14 BST |
5 min read
Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is set to be subject to a “big bid” from Manchester City amid rumours linking the England star to a string of Premier League giants.
Anderson’s future appears to lie in Manchester. While City are ready to launch and offer for the 23-year-old former Newcastle star, Manchester United see him as their dream option as they embark of a summer midfield rebuild.
It is a deal that is likely to be one of the biggest in the summer window as the two rivals prepare for a bidding war.
Elliot Anderson transfer latest
Man City are preparing a monster bid for Anderson, according to Fabrizio Romano, who offered this as his latest update on the situation on his YouTube channel:
“My understanding is that financially Manchester City would be prepared to offer really important money to the player. So City are going very strong on this deal. They are very keen.
“Then there is the negotiation with Nottingham Forest, and that is a separate topic because it will happen later, not now, and it depends on whether Forest stay in the Premier League or not. It will also be important to understand the final price.
“Manchester United remain in the battle too. But at the moment, the situation is clear: Manchester City are leading the race, as I told you before. United are still there and watching the situation in case City cannot close the deal.”
Nottingham Forest’s asking price
Nottingham Forest have set an asking price of a stunning €145 million (£125m) for Anderson, according to The Athletic.
This would make him the joint most expensive player in Premier League history along with Alexander Isak, who left Newcastle to sign for Liverpool for that fee last summer.
Even bottom-end estimates suggest that Forest will demand €115m (£100m) for the player.
How much is Elliot Anderson really worth?
City and United both run the risk of dramatically overpaying for Anderson, whose Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) sits at just €52.4m (£45m). This figure is calculated using hundreds of in-game data points as well as thousands of historical transfers.
City’s history of getting it wrong
City, in particular, have a history of blowing big money on ineffective central midfielders, which means it would come as little surprise if Anderson was signed for way more than his true value.
Nico Gonzalez, for example, arrived at the end of the 2025 January transfer window for €60m from Porto but has not made a comparable impact. Tijjani Reijnders has failed to live up to his €55m price tag since arriving in the summer, and perhaps most notoriously of all, Kalvin Phillips flopped after a €49m deal with Leeds was agreed.
Phillips, who has been on loan at Sheffield United this season but has been plagued by a knee problem, remains on the books of City and still has two years to run on his deal. The 30-year-old has played only 32 games for the Etihad club in four years.
Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s last truly successful big-money central midfield signing was Rodri – who arrived way back in 2019.
City have a habit of getting these moves wrong, but that’s unlikely to stop them trying to outmuscle United for Anderson – even if it means paying way over the odds.
Related stories:
Guardiola tipped to leave Man City for ‘gamble that attracts him’
Inside Man Utd’s search for the perfect midfield signing
Transfer Rumours: Tonali makes Man Utd decision as ‘big’ offer ready
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