Updated: 12 May 2026 17:12 BST |
5 min read
Chelsea have joined Manchester City and Manchester United in the race to sign Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Elliot Anderson this summer, according to The i Paper.
Anderson is being widely tipped to secure a big-money move away from Forest after playing a significant role in helping his side achieve Premier League survival and reach the Europa League semi-finals this season.
The 23-year-old, who has scored four goals and registered two assists in the league in 2025-26, has also established himself as one of England manager Thomas Tuchel’s trusted lieutenants ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Such has been Anderson’s impressive season that both Manchester clubs are believed to be interested in signing him, with The Athletic claiming Pep Guardiola’s side are currently the favourites to complete a deal.
After helping Forest secure their top-flight status by scoring in a 1-1 draw against his former club Newcastle United last Sunday, The Telegraph reported Anderson’s current price tag is in excess of €115million (£100m).
But now The i Paper are reporting that Chelsea also hold an interest in signing Anderson this summer, although they believe a deal remains unlikely considering the Blues appear to be a club in turmoil.
Chelsea are currently ninth in the Premier League and look set to miss out on securing Champions League football for next season, amid a 2025-26 campaign which has seen them sack both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.
There remains the possibility that the team who finishes sixth in the league can qualify for Europe’s premier club competition, should Aston Villa finish fifth and win the Europa League this month.
However, Chelsea would need to win their final two games of the season against Tottenham Hotspur (home) and Sunderland (away), while hoping Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford suffer major collapses – a scenario which appears to be high unlikely.
Chelsea are currently searching for a permanent head coach to succeed interim manager Calum McFarlane at the end of the season, with widespread reports claiming Xabi Alonso has held talks with the club’s hierarchy.
The i Paper speculate that Chelsea may be about to change their much-criticised transfer policy and hand more control to whoever becomes their next manager, claiming it is “highly unlikely” that Alonso would entertain joining the club without having a huge say on incomings.
Alonso is currently a free agent after being sacked by La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid in January – just eight months after replacing Carlo Ancelotti in the Bernabeu dugout.
Despite being dismissed by Real, the Spaniard is still regarded as one of the most promising young managers in the world, having broken Bayern Munich’s dominance by leading Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga and German Cup double in 2023-24.
Analysis: Anderson’s price could rise following the World Cup
After playing a huge role in helping England qualify for this summer’s World Cup, Anderson is expected to be one of the first names on the team sheet in North America.
The midfielder made his Three Lions debut in the 2-0 victory over Andorra in September 2025, before going on to make the No. 6 position his own as Tuchel’s side won all eight of their qualifiers in Group K.
Should Anderson continue to impress in Canada, Mexico and the United States, Vitor Pereira’s Forest will be in a strong position to command a significant fee for his services.
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