Manchester City have moved to the brink of completing one of the biggest transfers in English football history after agreeing a British record £130m deal with Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson.
The England midfielder is now expected to join City in a move that would eclipse the previous British transfer record and underline just how highly he is regarded after a rapid rise for club and country.
Anderson is currently away with England at the World Cup and is expected to undergo a medical in the United States within the next 24 hours. Personal terms are not expected to be a major obstacle, with the 23-year-old understood to be keen on a move to the Etihad Stadium.
City finally get their man
City had made Anderson one of their priority targets this summer and previously saw offers rejected by Forest. The breakthrough has now arrived, with the agreed package expected to reach £130m.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis had reportedly been determined not to lose one of the club’s most important players unless the fee surpassed the £125m Liverpool paid Newcastle for Alexander Isak last summer. City’s latest package appears to have met that demand.
For City, this is more than a statement signing. Anderson has developed into one of England’s most complete young midfielders, combining energy, ball-carrying, defensive bite and tactical maturity. His performances for Forest helped force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England setup, where he has started the opening two World Cup matches against Croatia and Ghana.
A remarkable rise
Anderson’s journey has been extraordinary. He left Newcastle for Nottingham Forest in 2024 in a deal worth around £30m, a move Newcastle later admitted was painful but necessary because of financial rules.
At Forest, he quickly grew into a central figure. Across two seasons at the City Ground, he helped the club finish seventh in the Premier League and reach the Europa League semi-finals. That form transformed him from a promising midfielder into one of the most valuable English players in the game.
Now, he is set to become the latest major addition to a City squad being reshaped for the next era.
Forest already looking at replacements
Losing Anderson would be a huge blow for Forest, but the size of the fee gives them significant room to rebuild. Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall is among the players being considered as a potential replacement, with talks reportedly held over a possible £45m move.
Forest will know that replacing Anderson’s influence will not be straightforward. His value was not only in his technical quality, but in the balance he brought to midfield. He could carry the ball forward, press aggressively, recover possession and link play under pressure.
That is why City have pushed so hard to sign him.
The Final Third verdict
This deal, if completed, would be a defining moment in the summer transfer window.
For Manchester City, it is a major show of strength: a record-breaking move for a midfielder they believe can become central to their future. For Nottingham Forest, it is a painful sale, but one made at a price almost impossible to ignore.
For Anderson, it is the next step in a stunning rise — from Newcastle prospect, to Forest leader, to England starter, and now potentially the most expensive British footballer of all time.
