Manchester City Pursue Elliot Anderson After Bid Rejected
Manchester City have seen their opening move for Elliot Anderson knocked back, but the Premier League champions are not expected to walk away.
Nottingham Forest have rejected City’s first bid for the 23-year-old midfielder, who is increasingly tipped to leave the City Ground this summer after a standout season. The offer, reported by The Athletic, is the first formal step from a club that has tracked Anderson since his early days as a Newcastle academy prospect.
City step up as Anderson weighs options
Anderson, now an England international and part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is understood to be leaning towards a switch to the Etihad Stadium over Manchester United, as reported by BBC Sport last week.
He is currently locked into tournament preparations, but that does not halt the transfer machine. Club-to-club talks can continue in the background, and they will. A growing sense around Forest is that this will be the summer Anderson moves on.
The fee will not be small. In fact, it could be historic. Any agreement is expected to challenge – and potentially surpass – the British-record £105m Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023. Forest know exactly what they have: a young, homegrown midfielder coming off a stellar campaign and heading to a World Cup as part of England’s core group.
Life after Bernardo: City’s midfield reboot
City’s push for Anderson comes in the context of a reshaping midfield. Captain Bernardo Silva’s departure has opened a sizeable gap in Pep Guardiola’s squad, and Anderson sits at the top of the club’s list of replacements.
City see a player who can grow into that creative, high-intensity role over the long term. They have admired his blend of work rate, technical security and ability to break lines for years, tracking his rise from Newcastle’s academy to Forest’s main man.
The rejected bid is unlikely to be the last. When City identify a primary target, they tend to stay at the table.
Tonali monitored, Nico Gonzalez could make way
Anderson is not the only midfielder on City’s radar. Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali is also understood to be highly rated within the club, with the Italy international monitored as a long-term option. For now, Anderson is the priority, but City are clearly mapping the next phase of their midfield around younger profiles with elite upside.
That shift could spell the end for others. Nico Gonzalez, who missed out on Spain’s World Cup squad and slipped out of favour under Guardiola last season, may depart if an acceptable offer arrives. His situation underlines how ruthless City are prepared to be as they refresh a title-winning squad.
A new right-back to follow?
The midfield is not the only area under review. Sources indicate City are also in the market for a right-back to complement Matheus Nunes, 28, who impressed after being converted from midfield and deployed in that role this season.
Nunes adapted superbly, but City want a specialist. The profile is clear: a young, natural full-back who can be developed over time and eventually own the position. It is another sign that City are planning not just for the next title race, but for the next cycle.
For now, the spotlight stays on Anderson. Forest have said no once. The question is how high City are willing to go to turn admiration into a record-breaking deal.
