Manchester City signed Elliott Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, just shy of the British record.
Man City agree British record fee for Elliott Anderson (Image: Getty Images)
Manchester City have agreed a deal to sign Elliott Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a fee that falls just short of the British record fee.
Forest had played hard in the early weeks of the summer transfer window, determined to move beyond the £125m that brought Alexander Isak to Liverpool from Newcastle last summer.
The Athletic report that after seeing his opening offer rejected, City have finally agreed to a deal worth a staggering £116m upfront. The Premier League side have made the 23-year-old their top target this summer and have not been deterred by Anderson’s high price tag.
City’s own club transfer record was the £100m they paid to sign Jack Grealish in 2021, but signing Anderson will surpass that amount.
Anderson was cleared to undergo a medical in New York on Friday, but his contract is still subject to personal terms being agreed. Manager Thomas Tuchel has already insisted he will not stop his players perfecting their moves during the World Cup.
Anderson joined Forest in 2023 in a £35m deal from Newcastle, who were reluctant to sell the academy midfielder.
Since his transfer, he has continued to develop and was always destined to make a huge profit for Forest. Anderson made his England debut in September and has started both World Cup matches so far, playing alongside Declan Rice against Croatia and Ghana, and is likely to continue in that role against Panama on Saturday.
City enter the post-Pep Guardiola era, with Enzo Maresca expected to become the Etihad’s new manager. Anderson is seen as a good fit in their system and could also help them reach their playing field.
Elliott Anderson will undergo a medical period during the World Cup (Image: The FA via Getty Images)
The Manchester side are also aware of the fact that Rodri, now 30, has ongoing links with Real Madrid and could consider his future after his contract expires.
City have struggled to incorporate central midfielders into their squad in recent years. Kalvin Phillips is an example of a highly rated English player who moved to Manchester but struggled to play given Rodri’s dominance.
However, with the transfer of Bernardo Silva and others, Anderson will likely play a major role as City aim for a smooth transition after Guardiola’s departure.
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