Elliott Anderson looks set to make a nine-figure move this summer and is set to star for England at the World Cup.
Elliott Anderson is a hot player with Man United and Man City chasing his signature (Image: JC Ruiz/PA Wire)
Elliott Anderson became England’s hottest midfielder and was the ‘complete package’.
This is the view of England manager Thomas Tuchel, who gave enthusiastic support to the Nottingham Forest midfielder. And Tuchel believes being a wanted player will take him to a new level and boost his confidence as he has become a truly record-breaking star.
Anderson is embroiled in a transfer tug-of-war with Manchester City offering more than £100m for the England star, while Nottingham Forest are seeking a Premier League record fee of more than £110m for the midfielder.
Manchester United are also on the list, and Anderson may have been distracted by all the transfer talk ahead of the World Cup.
But Tuchel insisted nothing could be further from the truth, insisting Anderson’s impressive performance in England’s final friendly against Costa Rica was proof he deserved a gold medal.
Tuchel has already made it clear that he will not prevent players from discussing transfers during camp, but must avoid it before tournament match days.
But Tuchel said he was not worried about Anderson, or whether a big move would affect him, even if he left the conversation to coach Anthony Barry. “He’s a top player. I can’t say more than that. He’s the perfect player. I’m happy that he’s with us at that level and he’s an important player for us,” Tuchel said.
“Tender? No comment! He doesn’t seem affected. He had a great performance against Costa Rica. He’s fine.”
Anderson is set to play a key role for England at the World Cup (Image: Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
“I don’t talk to him about it. The assistant coach talked to him about it, but I don’t talk about it. It should give him a boost because it proves what he can do and what level he can perform. It looks like it’s giving him a boost at the moment.”
“Even if the transfer is completed, I hope he remains the same person. Nothing will change overnight when he wakes up. He is not a new player. He is not a new player.”
“People will try to strangle him with this price, but nothing really changes. He just changes clubs. That’s the rule of the game.”
“Hopefully he remains the same. A humble, determined and hungry footballer. He’s definitely very calm.
“Hopefully (if that happens) his confidence will increase. I don’t want to get too deep into whether it’s a confidence thing or not, but what you see on the pitch in practice is he’s working hard and not getting distracted. That’s what’s coming from him.”
Thomas Tuchel believes interest in a move for Anderson could be positive (Image: Getty Images)
Tuchel has already seen another England star leave for a big-money move to an attractive club. Anthony Gordon’s £70m move from Newcastle to Barcelona came just before the tournament, but there were concerns that the winger barely played in the final weeks of the season. Newcastle clearly resisted the move.
However, Gordon was outstanding against Costa Rica, showing exceptional ability in terms of pressing and work-rate, and could have overtaken Marcus Rashford as a starter on the left against Croatia, providing a goal and an assist.
Tuchel said joining Barcelona has boosted his confidence and highlighted the qualities he brings to every performance.
Tuchel added: “He’s at his best when he plays like a humble, physical winger. For me, that’s his key strength. He accelerates, decelerates and also runs hard, runs hard again, helps the counter-press and makes the defense work. Especially in the heat here, he’s a pain to guard.”
“I think he’s growing in confidence thanks to the step to Barcelona, but I hope it doesn’t change his style of play, because I’m sure that’s what Barcelona expect from him.”
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