Elliot Anderson: New Man City signing sends Man Utd message after completing £116m move from Nottingham Forest

Elliot Anderson has declared Manchester City the "kings of Manchester" after completing his £116m move from Nottingham Forest.

The England midfielder has signed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium with the option of a further 12 months.

The deal was agreed earlier this month but finalised this week following the player's return from the World Cup after helping the Three Lions to a third-place finish.

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Anderson said he was "over the moon" to be signing for "one of the biggest clubs in the world" and has his sights firmly set on winning trophies.

"I can't wait to play for this club," the 23-year-old said. "It's a club built to win trophies and compete at the very top of the game. That is exciting for any footballer.

"I think they're winners, they're relentless, and that's the sort of team I want to be a part of. Over the last 10, 12 years, they've dominated, so that's why I wanted to join."

The midfielder is already relishing the prospect of playing in the Manchester derby, with City due to face arch-rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 13, live on Sky Sports.

Anderson, who was a Man Utd target this summer, said: "It's one of the biggest derbies in the world and for as long as I've known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester.

"It'll be a great fixture, and I can't wait to be involved in something like that."

'There's more to come from me'

Anderson came through the youth ranks at Newcastle and made 55 first-team appearances for his boyhood club. Early in his career he also enjoyed a successful loan at Bristol Rovers, where he earned the nickname 'Geordie Maradona'.

He joined Forest in a £35m deal two years ago and played 92 times for the Reds. He earned his first England call-up last season and quickly established himself as a key member of Thomas Tuchel's side.

"I'm only 23, so I've got plenty of time to get to my best levels," he said. "I'm definitely not there yet and there's more to come from me.

"I think I bring a bit of everything. I bring quality, I bring physicality, energy. I'd like to think I'd get the fans excited, get them off their feet and bring energy to the team."

Anderson reveals admiration for De Bruyne

There is extra significance in the move for Anderson, as he grew up idolising former City star Kevin De Bruyne.

He said: "I think Kevin De Bruyne is someone who I've hugely looked up to over the past seven or eight years.

"I've always wanted to play like him. I've watched him all the time and to be sat here in the team that he was doing it for is so special."

Anderson is now enjoying a summer break and will link up with new manager Enzo Maresca's squad for pre-season training next month.

Director of football Hugo Viana said: "Elliot is one of the outstanding young midfield talents in world football. We feel he can become a complete midfielder."

Are £100m-plus fees for players the new normal?

The average cost of a top-end signing in the Premier League has exploded. The £100m-plus player is no longer an outlier, but becoming increasingly commonplace.

A trend started by Jack Grealish's £100m move from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021 has, in effect, snowballed, establishing a new benchmark for elite Premier League talent that continues to send records tumbling.

Fees since have begun to accelerate far beyond general market inflation, with the average price for dipping into the premium player pool doubling over the past decade.

This clear acceleration has been particularly apparent over the past three years. Between 2016-2023, average top-end costs held relatively steady. They fluctuated to a degree but not with the disparity we see now.

Following on from Grealish, the idea of a £100m-plus investment became more normalised.

The thought that the so-called 'top six' can force sales out of smaller clubs is less applicable in an era of high-wealth owners and greater financial gains.

The strength of that bargaining power has also been leveraged to drive prices higher between competing clubs.

Last summer saw moves for Florian Wirtz (£116.5m) and Alexander Isak (£125m) to Liverpool, while this window has witnessed major sums spent on Elliot Anderson (£116m), Sandro Tonali (£100m) and Morgan Rogers (£117m).

Those moves have sent top-end averages soaring, up from £36.6m in 2024-25 to £70.5m in 2026.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: Elliot Anderson: New Man City signing sends Man Utd message after completing £116m move from Nottingham Forest