Elliot Anderson transfer news: Man City agree deal to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder

Manchester City have agreed a deal with Nottingham Forest to sign Elliot Anderson.

The fee is understood to be £116m, which would break City's transfer record, and make Anderson the most expensive British player ever.

Forest have given permission for the midfielder to undergo a medical in due course.

Anderson is currently in the USA with England at the World Cup, where he has started their two group games so far.

Discussions are ongoing about when Anderson can have a medical, given England play on Saturday against Panama in the final game of Group L.

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Personal terms are not expected to be a problem.

In early June, Man City had an initial offer for Anderson knocked back by Nottingham Forest.

The 23-year-old is currently contracted to the Midlands club until 2029 and has been Man City's primary midfield target this summer.

Anderson emerged as one of the Premier League's best central midfielders last season and is part of a group of elite midfield options on the market this summer, including Newcastle's Sandro Tonali, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Brighton's Carlos Baleba.

City admire how Anderson has evolved since joining Forest from Newcastle in 2024, and relations between the two clubs are thought to be excellent.

During England's World Cup preparation camp, Thomas Tuchel described him as the "full package" and expressed confidence that City's interest would not distract him.

"He's a top player," the England boss said. "There's nothing more to say, he's the full package. I'm happy that he's with us on that kind of level and he's a key player for us."

Forest hoping to sign two midfielders if Anderson leaves

Nottingham Forest are hoping to sign two central midfielders this summer if Anderson leaves.

The plan had always been to add one more option but with Anderson's move to Man City taking a step forward, it appears two players will come in in his position.

Forest are interested in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall and Inter Milan's Davide Frattesi, who the Italian club value at around €30m (£25.9m).

They also have a long-standing interest in Celtic's Arne Engels, whom they tried to sign in January.

Can Anderson fit into a potential Maresca team?

Sky Sports News' Ben Ransom:

"Elliot Anderson will 100 per cent fit into Enzo Maresca's system. He would have fit into Pep's and fit into any manager's system because he's so versatile. He can play as a single pivot, as we've seen at the World Cup; he can play alongside someone like Declan Rice.

"He can break the lines, press, win duels - he is an all-action midfielder. He can even score goals, as we saw against City last season, for Nottingham Forest. That versatility makes him a really important signing for Man City, particularly when you consider Bernardo Silva's exit this summer.

"There's still some speculation about Rodri's future. He said he'll sort it after the World Cup. He's got one year left on his contract as he goes into next season.

"There's no guarantee he is going to sign an extension at this point, but Anderson is clearly a player who can play alongside or in place of Rodri; he's that talented. City fans will be really excited about reinvigorating that midfield when you look at some of the other players in that position.

"They haven't proved the ability to replace Rodri, whereas Anderson has a lot of his footballing future ahead of him and his stats have proved how good he is in a number of roles in the middle of the pitch."

Better than Rice and Rodri? Why Anderson is worth over £100m

The only thing that might divide opinion on Elliot Anderson this summer is his hefty price tag. The 23-year-old's profile as the perfect all-round midfielder is surely undisputed. So, how does he stack up against other midfielders in the same price bracket?

In short, Manchester City have agreed a deal for the cream of the crop.

Beyond the eye test, which will tell you how efficiently he moves up and down the pitch and how composed he is in possession, his off-the-ball work is exemplary. Better than Declan Rice. More efficient, even, than present-day Rodri...

Read Laura Hunter's full feature here.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: Elliot Anderson transfer news: Man City agree deal to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder