Manchester City have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson this summer, with Sky Sports reporting that well-placed sources increasingly believe the 23-year-old England international is destined for the Etihad Stadium ahead of rival interest from both Manchester United and Arsenal.
Anderson joined Forest from Newcastle United for £35 million in July 2024 and has since developed into one of the most coveted midfielders in the Premier League, with his transformation across two seasons at the City Ground driving his valuation to levels that have shocked even optimistic observers inside the game.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is expected to drive negotiations personally and has placed a valuation of up to £125 million on the player, according to The Athletic, a figure that reflects both Anderson’s importance to Forest and the Greek owner’s well-documented willingness to hold firm on valuations regardless of external pressure.
City’s interest is sharpened by the confirmed departure of Bernardo Silva, whose contract expires in June and who has already confirmed he will leave the Etihad at the end of the season, creating a significant creative void in Pep Guardiola’s midfield that needs addressing before the new campaign begins.
The case for Anderson as a Silva successor rests on complementary rather than identical qualities: where Silva brings technical finesse and experience of the highest level, Anderson offers pressing intensity, physicality, and the kind of box-to-box energy that Guardiola has always valued in his most trusted midfield performers.
Relations between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest are described by multiple outlets as positive, a factor that City believe gives them an edge over United in any negotiating process, given the continuing turbulence at Old Trafford that could make it a less attractive destination for a player weighing his options at a pivotal moment.
United are not stepping back from the race, with The People’s Person reporting that the club has stepped up contact with Anderson’s camp and is exploring whether it can make a financial case compelling enough to dislodge City’s advantage, though Forest’s astronomical asking price would test even United’s summer spending capacity.
Arsenal have also been monitoring Anderson closely, though their position is less advanced than either Manchester club, and their primary transfer focus this summer appears directed more sharply toward the Dani Olmo pursuit and forward line additions ahead of a Champions League campaign.
The World Cup this summer in North America adds a complicating dimension to any deal, with Anderson expected to play a significant role for Thomas Tuchel’s England, a tournament that could elevate his market value further if he performs at the level his club form suggests he is capable of.
Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness has argued that the timing pressure before the World Cup could actually work in any buying club’s favour, telling Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast: “With the World Cup coming up, I tip Elliot Anderson to be one of the stars of the World Cup for England, and his valuation will go up. This is where Marinakis has got to decide himself. He may take a price early, and there’s a lot of rumours Man City are going to go in at something like £90m and get it done early.”
