Anderson Chooses Manchester City Over United
Ryan Giggs on the fairway, Phil Bardsley at his side, a £100m decision walking towards them in golf spikes.
That was the scene in Portugal earlier this summer, where two former Manchester United defenders of the badge made a late, personal pitch to Anderson to steer his career towards Old Trafford and away from the blue half of the city.
They failed.
The 23-year-old midfielder chose Manchester City, completed a record-breaking move from Nottingham Forest to the Etihad, and then poured a little salt on the wound by calling his new club the “kings of Manchester” on his debut.
A last swing in Portugal
Bardsley has now lifted the lid on that chance encounter on the golf course, revealing just how close United’s legends came to making their case.
“I was in Portugal earlier in the summer playing golf with Giggs and we saw Anderson on the golf course and had a chat with him to try and persuade him to join United,” Bardsley told Casinolyze.
Anderson, he says, was still torn. The decision wasn’t yet made. United’s icons had an opening.
But the numbers were already spiralling. Forest’s valuation was heading north of £100m for a defensive midfielder, and that was a line the Old Trafford hierarchy refused to cross.
“He was still unsure what he wanted to do but north of £100m for a defensive midfielder like him? If I’m spending that money, I want a player who will add 30-40 goals to my team a season. That’s what I’m looking for at that fee. That’s value for money.”
City were willing to go there. United were not.
United walk away, Carrick pivots
Once Forest’s demands smashed through the £100m barrier, United stepped back. The romance of Giggs and Bardsley lobbying on a golf course couldn’t compete with the cold reality of a transfer budget.
Michael Carrick, now shaping United in his own image, turned to alternatives. Rather than one blockbuster, he opted for depth and pedigree: Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans, Aston Villa’s captain, arriving to bolster the midfield.
Bardsley, no stranger to the demands of the Premier League, believes Tielemans in particular represents shrewd business.
“Signing Youri Tielemans for £35m is a great bit of business. He is a proven Premier League player, he can deliver and he’s won trophies,” he said, underlining the contrast between United’s approach and City’s gamble at the top end of the market.
His view on the fees involved for the new wave of midfielders is blunt.
“I think Manchester City and Tottenham certainly overpaid for Anderson and Sandro Tonali. I knew it was getting to a stage with Elliot where he’d be £100m plus and I just didn’t feel comfortable about going to that sort of price for him as a player. Listen, he’s outstanding. I really like him.”
The admiration is clear. So is the discomfort with the price.
City’s new standard-bearer
While United agonised over value, Anderson’s mind drifted in only one direction.
Despite the interest from Old Trafford, he was drawn to the reigning champions, to the side that has turned winning into routine and pressure into a permanent backdrop. His performances for Thomas Tuchel’s England at the 2026 World Cup had already marked him out as one of the standout midfielders of his generation. City, in his eyes, offered the perfect stage.
“As soon as I knew City wanted me, I was absolutely determined to make this move happen,” Anderson said after signing his five-year deal. “You want to test yourself at the highest level. Being at City means I have that opportunity.”
There was no sense of being overwhelmed by the speed of his rise, only a confirmation of what he always believed.
“It’s happened quite quickly, but I think I always believed I could get to this point, and this is where I want to be.”
For City, still reshaping their identity in the wake of Pep Guardiola’s departure, Anderson is more than just another expensive midfielder. He is a statement.
Maresca’s first major piece
Enzo Maresca, installed after his stint at Chelsea, has inherited a serial-winning machine that still expects to dominate domestically while pushing deep into Europe. The Italian must refresh, not rebuild; evolve, not rip up.
Anderson is the first major signing of that new era, the opening move in Maresca’s attempt to keep City at the top while nudging the style in his own direction. The midfielder has already heard glowing reports about his new coach from former team-mates and arrives eager to slot into a side that demands instant impact.
City’s schedule offers no gentle introduction. Arsenal await in the Community Shield next weekend, a first look at Maresca’s City in a competitive setting, before Bournemouth visit the Etihad as the champions begin their latest Premier League title defence.
United, meanwhile, will watch a player they once courted stride out in sky blue, knowing their legends tried one last time on a quiet Portuguese fairway to change his mind.
In the end, the new “king of Manchester” chose his throne.
