Offer has been rejected but City expected to make an improved bid
Manchester City have made an initial bid to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson but it has been rejected by the Midlands club.
City remain interested in the 23-year-old England international and are expected to continue discussions, while Forest are determined to maximise any fee should Anderson leave this summer.
The midfielder is under contract for a further three years and Forest have not actively sought to sell him, although there is an understanding that he will most likely leave before the transfer window closes.
Forest are basing their valuation of Anderson on recent transfers involving elite Premier League midfielders, with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Declan Rice all moving for sums exceeding £100m. The club are understood to view Anderson as a player whose value places him among the most sought-after midfielders in the English market.
City’s interest comes during a transition period at the Etihad Stadium following Pep Guardiola’s departure after a decade in charge, while senior figures John Stones and Bernardo Silva have also left the club. Strengthening midfield options is a priority for City as they reshape their squad ahead of the new season.
Are Manchester United Interested in a Deal for Anderson?
Manchester United have monitored Anderson in the past and remain interested in signing the midfielder, but they have long considered Forest’s expected asking price beyond their preferred spending range.
United are spreading a much wider net for midfielders this summer in order to keep prices down. They have reached an agreement with Atalanta for Brazilian Ederson, and have also made contact with the representatives of Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali and Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni as premium options.
Anderson has established himself as one of Forest’s most influential players since arriving from Newcastle United in 2024 as part of a deal involving goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos going the other way. He has made 92 appearances for the club and featured 50 times in all competitions last season.
Forest signed the midfielder for £35m, meaning that they could stand to make as much as a £65m profit on the player.
