Manchester City have smashed the transfer record for a British player by completing the signing of England international Elliot Anderson.
The midfielder moves to the Etihad Stadium from Nottingham Forest for a fixed £116million fee.
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That eclipses the previous record for a British player set when Declan Rice joined Arsenal for £105m.
Forest have tried to claim the deal is worth a total £130m, which would eclipse the Premier League transfer record set by Liverpool’s £125m signing of Alexander Isak, but City dispute this.
The deal comes after Anderson enjoyed a superb season for the Midlands club, earning himself a spot in England’s World Cup squad.
A Man City statement read: “Anderson, 23, is currently competing at the FIFA World Cup with England and has completed a medical in Kansas. The formalities of the move will be finalised upon his return to England.
“In the meantime, everyone at Manchester City wishes Elliot and the England squad the very best of luck in their World Cup campaign and we look forward to welcoming him to Manchester in due course. ”
Blue over red
Both Manchester City and Manchester United entered the race for Anderson, however City were the only ones to submit an offer.
United were forced to step aside after learning that Anderson had his heart set on a move to the 2023 Champions League winners.
They had an initial bid rejected, however an improved offer proved too tempting for Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis to turn down.
eSPORTY’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook said: “This is a huge deal for Forest, a big deal for Manchester City to kick off the Enzo Maresca rebuild.
“It does ask questions about what might happen now with Rodri because we know Real Madrid are showing a strong interest in the City midfielder.”
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Forest signed Anderson from Newcastle in the summer of 2024 in a £35m deal. He has since gone on to become one of the Premier League’s standout players.
Last season, he was an ever present for Forest in the league and registered four goals and four assists.
He featured 12 times in Forest’s run to the Europa League semi-finals.
Tuchel’s key man
Anderson has started all four England games at the World Cup and quickly cemented himself as an important component of Thomas Tuchel’s midfield.
The Newcastle academy graduate was part of the England team that won the Under-21 European Championship last year and was called up to the senior squad for the first time last September.
Tuchel has been full of praise for the midfielder, describing him as the ‘full package’.
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The England boss also said he was confident that speculation of his future would not distract him from his international duties.
“He’s a top player,” Tuchel said before the tournament. “There’s nothing more to say, he’s the full package.
“I’m happy that he’s with us on that kind of level and he’s a key player for us.”
